


The man with the golden smile

by LePresident_Miaou



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: 007, Agent Lightwood, Alcohol, Alec is the new James Bond, Alec!Top, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blow Jobs, Eventual Happy Ending, M/M, Magnus is a James Bond Girl, Magnus!Bottoms, Poison injections, Poor Alec, Poor Magnus, Rough Sex, Sebastard Morgenshit, Shower Sex, Torture, Wall Sex, ghosts from the past
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-09
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-08-13 23:51:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 35,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7990870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LePresident_Miaou/pseuds/LePresident_Miaou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alexander Lightwood has been working for the CIA for five years now but all this time didn't erase the pain and the nightmares he still has, until one day, during a mission, he meets the charming and quite mysterious Magnus Bane. But can Alec trust a man with a golden smile and a dark past?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A hot day in Italy

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT : 1/11/2016
> 
> Re-publishing
> 
> Thank you to the wonderful... Wait... The amazing, the incredible, the tremendous @Lecrit for taking some time to beta this 1st chapter. She is such an amazing person I admire a lot because she is so talented and you should all read her ff (but I guess you already do, because it's impossible to be in the SH Fandom on AO3 and don't know this talented mother of the Cupcake (Wow GoT reference !) and I am so glad she helped me with this. Thank you little Satan, I love you <3 
> 
> Lots of kisses to DMT for the daily motivation, I love you so much <3
> 
> PS: So not original but if you ever read this, you can tweet with the #TMWTGS hashtag on Twitter so I can see your reactions <3

It was one of the hottest days in Italy, Carnival was in full swing, and the streets were crowded. From where he was, agent Lightwood, had a perfect view of the Venice Carnival. A view that allowed him to observe all the slightest actions of the people present on the streets. So far, nothing very unusual. People were dancing, wearing masks, and anyone could hide in such a massive sea of people. And the Venice Carnival was, of course, the most attended event in Italy, but that was also the day where all the worldwide UN’s presidents would come to sign the peace accords. Every years, they would meet secretly in a hotel room to make some arrangements and sign new contracts. 

 

Alexander Lightwood was the best CIA agent that the agency had seen in years. He was particularly known for his ability to be calm and to handle firearms. Agent Alexander Gideon Lightwood had decided to join the CIA special agents forces after the murder of his younger brother, Max Lightwood, by Sebastian Morgenstern, a nefarious criminal, working for Valentine. 

 

Valentine was one of the vilest geniuses who took pleasure in tormenting the CIA. For over 10 years, Valentin had managed to become the largest global threat. After overthrowing the Russian government, Valentin had installed his base in one of the coldest parts of the country.

 

But even after all those years of research, no one had managed to find this mysterious base. Alexander and his father Robert were both working for the CIA as simple detectives, 5 years ago.

 

That was the time when Alexander was still happy. Alexander, who everyone still called Alec at that time, his father, his mother, his sister Isabelle, who still called him like that occasionally, but mostly, his younger brother, Max, Max Lightwood, called him Alec.

 

But that was 5 years ago.

 

***

 

Alexander and Robert were about to leave for Russia when they received a phone call from Isabelle. Her voice trembled and she had trouble breathing. The worst thing was that she was crying, Isabelle never cried, even when she was a child. Alexander was waiting for his father’s orders, and he stood there, leaning against their Aston Martin, in a black linen suit. He would always remember that moment. His father dropping the phone, falling to his knees, screaming in despair, and hitting the ground as he was crying for his youngest son’s death, but Alec didn't know. 

 

Alexander had grabbed the phone, but only a flat tone sounded in his ear. Sensing that something was wrong and that his father could not utter a word, he went as quickly as possible in his father’s Aston Martin, before rushing to their beachfront residence

 

Arriving at their home, he walked slowly towards the porch. He found the door completely down and off its hinges. There was blood on the white curtains, flowing like the morning dew on the petals of a rose. On the floor and on the walls, blood had already begun to dry. Bodies lay on the oaken floor, in the kitchen, in the living room, until a familiar body caught his attention.

 

It was Isabelle.

 

She still had her phone in her hand. Her pulse was weak, but to Alec’s relief, she was still alive. Alec gently lifted her before realizing that a bullet had passed through her stomach, causing her to lose a lot of blood.

 

Alec gently placed his sister’s head on his lap, softly stroking her hair, as he sometimes did on those days when they were still children. He used to do that each time Isabelle had a nightmare.

 

She slowly opened her eyes to find Alec leaning over her.

 

"Ma .. Ma ... x ... maaaaa ..." She tried to articulate but the blood in her lungs stopped her from saying anything and she quickly began to spit blood. Alec pressed her to shut up before she hurt herself even more, but she continued to mumble.

 

"Up ... Upstairs ... Alec ... P ... Pl ... Please ... D ... Don ... Don’t go ... It ... It's a trap. He. He killed ... .. M .. Maa ... "  
Tears began rolling on her cheeks, smeared with blood. Alec clenched his fists, hoping that he had misunderstood the words of his sister. He continued to stroke her hair for a few seconds.

 

Then Alec pulled his black linen jacket to put delicately underneath Isabelle's head. He jumped up, unbuttoning the top of his white shirt, before climbing the stairs. He pulled out his Beretta, 7.65 mm. It was the perfect weapon, light, quiet. Above all, it was his father’s favorite weapon before becoming his.

 

He walked up the stairs, leading to Max's room, the bedroom was down the hall, surrounded by the rooms of his other brother Jace, Isabelle, and his. He discovered with horror a small handprint on the door. It was fresh and red.

 

Alec could feel the anger rising in him. He remained silent, but he bit his lip so hard that a small stream of blood ran down his chin. He did not even take the time to wipe it. He stepped forward and put his hand over the small handprint. Alec had always had big hands, compared to Max, who for his age was still frail and small.

 

When Alec entered the room, he could not contain the sob that overtook him. Max was lying on the ground, on a white carpet. It had now turned a reddish tint. Max, his younger brother, who hid in his bed on stormy nights, followed him everywhere, and sulked when Alec did not want to take him on a mission with him. Max, who snuggled in Isabelle’s arms by the fireplace in winter. Max, his little brother Max ... Max.

 

Max was dead.

 

There he was, lying on the floor of his childhood bedroom, holding the very first CIA badge Alec has received. He had given it to Max the day he had declared that he wanted to join the CIA like Robert, Alec, Jace and Isabelle. It was a family business, almost all the Lightwoods had worked, or worked for the CIA, for generations.

 

This badge was a promise. A promise that Alec now would no longer hold. He had promised Max that one day, he would also have his own badge. That one day he would traveled the world to prevent the bad guys from harming people.

 

Alec finally raised his head to see who had become the CIA’s number one target: Sebastian Morgenstern, one of Valentine's henchmen, if not his closest assistant. He was one of his followers, to be honest and more specific.  
He was cleaning the barrel of his gun with a cloth soaked with blood. Sebastian was nearly as tall as Alec, maybe even a bit taller than him, actually. He had bright blond hair that could be mistaken with white hair if you were not paying attention, and his eyes were black, as dark as his soul was. He bore a predatory smile on his face. He didn’t even seem bothered by Max’s body lying at his feet.

 

"Lightwood," Sebastian purred.

 

He didn’t even look at Alec, still focused on the weapon he held in his hand.

 

Alec tightened his fingers on his Beretta and tried to hold back his tears; he would not give this satisfaction to Sebastian. Crying would mean to show him his weaknesses, and Alec refused to offer him that luxury.

 

"Morgenstern," Alec almost spat the name out.

 

Sebastian had no time to start a new sentence. Alec jumped at him, hitting him with his fists. He wanted to see him suffer, he wanted to see that miserable worm spit blood, and writhe in pain, much like Alec was internally agonizing right now.

 

He suddenly felt Sebastian’s knee hitting his rib cage and Alec coughed before parrying the punch that probably would have broken his nose.

 

Alec rose and saw that Sebastian was still smiling, an impressive flow of blood ran down his right arch and over his nose. Alec charged and hit Sebastien again, punching him with all his might. Both of them crossed through the window, which broke under the weight of their bodies.

 

Shards of glass were planted in Alec’s white shirt, which began to dye red as they were falling from the first floor bedroom. 

 

Sebastian gave a stifled cry when they hit the ground. They stayed there for a moment, on the ground, before Alec got back on his feet. He approached Sebastian’s body, still lying on the grass, the same wicked smile on his face. He opened his eyes and laughed.

 

"I'll make you swallow your fucking smile." Alec's voice was steady, but his fists were clenched, and he tossed himself at Sebastian once more.

 

Sebastian did not move, and took 3 ... 4 ... 5 ... 6 punches. At the sixth blow, he sent a hard kick to Alec’s abdomen, who drew back, holding his sides, which were fragile after their fall. He surely had some fractures.

 

"That's what you think I guess." Sebastian spat a large amount of blood before getting up. "We’ve already been smarter than you today, right? You thought we'd let you, you and your father, come and... visit us without even retaliate?" He wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, already stained with blood. He laughed and Alec gritted his teeth.

 

"Come on... Alexander, for a CIA agent, you’re… quite a fool."

 

Alec looked at Sebastian with all the contempt possible. An angry grin painted on his face, he stared at Sebastian, who delicately dusted his white linen suit, turned mostly red by all the blood he had lost.

 

"I have a question, Lightwood, how is your dear father?"

 

Alec saw with horror his father, on his knees, screaming and hitting the ground, before diving into silence. This time, Alec could not hold back the tears. All of that, it was all set up by Valentine to hurt his father. He knew that his children meant everything to him. And now, Max was dead, Isabelle was seriously injured, and only Alec was still on his feet. That was when he realized with horror the truth. He looked up to see the inhuman smile on Sebastian’s face.

 

"Too slow. Adios."

 

Alec winced and put a hand to his right side. Pain travelled through his body, and when he pulled his hand away from his stomach, it was stained with blood, his own blood this time. He fell to his knees, shaking, as his whole body became weaker and weaker. 

 

He panted, trying to stabilize his breathing, in vain. Sebastian slowly approached, his Beretta still in his hand. Alec had dropped his when the bullet passed through his stomach. He closed his eyes, thinking that the last thing he saw was the body of his brother lying in his room, as if he was asleep.

 

Then Alec realized it was unbearable, and inconceivable, for him to leave now: he promised Max to make a better world, a world in which Max could live without fear that some wicked man could come to hurt him. Max was no longer living. But he deserved that this promise to be kept.

 

He grabbed on his thigh and slowly pulled out a long piece of glass that was planted in his leg. As Sebastian was approaching, stepping closer and closer, and pain paralyzed Alec’s body. 

 

"So... Lightwood, ready to join your little brother?" He knelt down and as he found himself at Alec’s level, he gently ran his hand through Alec’s hair. This one felt the bile rise in his throat and spat in Sebastian’s face who finally lost his smile and pressed the barrel of his gun to Alec’s head.

 

"One last word?" Sebastian's voice was cheerful, but cold.

 

"Your father will soon join you in hell!"

 

Sebastian frowned, before receiving the piece of glass in his right eye. He screamed in pain, and Alec just had time to disarm him, sending his gun several meters away from them.

 

Sebastian writhed in pain, his body shaking with uncontrollable spasms. Alec watched him struggled, a hand pressed against his wound. He slowly picked up his Beretta and walked toward Sebastian, who was now immobile, pain paralyzing his body.

 

"One last word?" Alec was not very good with sarcasm in general, but this sentence made him smirk a little. He pointed his gun and aimed at Sebastian’s head. He was going to kill him. He was about to pull the trigger when a scream coming from the house made him turn around. He raced and stopped in front of the bay window. Then, he sighed, and let out a sob.

 

His father was holding his sister in his arms, Isabelle weeping against him. They were both hugging Max’s frail and small body, that Robert had found upstairs. They gently stroked Max's little head, pushing a few strands off his forehead, stuck with blood. They were crying, knowing that Max would never wake up.

 

Alec stepped forward and when Robert saw him, he got up and took his son in his arms. Alec cried for Max. He wept for several minutes before returning to the garden to finish what he had started.

 

But when they arrived to the spot where Sebastian was lying just a few minutes ago, it was too late. On the grass, there was just a huge amount of blood. Sebastian’s blood. Sebastian had disappeared, and with him, any chances to stop Valentine.

 

Ever since that day, Robert had left the CIA, and Alec had never cried again.

 

That was five years ago.

 

***

 

And now there he was, five years, later, alone on a roof of an Italian building, high enough to watch over the streets. 

 

He mainly worked alone now. He had tried having other partners since Robert left, but none of them was his father. The only man he could trust with his own life on a mission. And most of the other agents refused to work with him anyway. Alexander Lightwood was known for always accepting the most dangerous assignments. 

 

It was now 3 years ago that Alexander had taken the pseudonym of 007 after Mr Bond. The name his father was about to take before quitting the CIA after Max’s death.   
Alexander was quickly pulled from his thoughts by a shooting noise. His high-tech glasses were provided by Starkweather. They were comparable to a mixture of binoculars and radar.

 

It didn’t take long to locate the source of the first shot. A man in a white linen suit, wearing a Venetian mask, was moving quickly in the crowded street.

 

Alec stood up and began to walk along the edge of the roof, jumping from one to another. Alexander was tall, agile, and was amazingly reckless.  
Nevertheless, he was known for never failing a single mission: that was why he had become the new “agent 007”.

 

He had no private life. He flied to see his father in Switzerland once a year, and his sister lived in the same building as him in New York. He had also lived in London for several years with his parents, but after Max, they all moved away. Alec lived in one of the most luxurious buildings in New York, though he spent only a short time in it.

 

Alexander arrived at the edge of the last roof and got a glimpse of the man in white approaching the building in front of him. Through the window of the fourth floor, he could see the UN presidents gathered today, taking advantage of the distraction of the Carnival.

 

He saw the man enter the building, carrying a gun. He also wore a gray fedora, which prevented him from seeing the color of his hair, but Alexander thought he perceived the blonde, almost white, locks, and it seemed astonishingly familiar, but also impossible. He could not come back like that five years later. Alec contemplated for a moment jumping off the roof. He would land on the roof of the hotel that hosted the presidents’ meeting, but that didn’t leave him much time to stop the man in white. It was his mission and Alec did not have time to think.

 

He stepped back a few meters, before adjusting his suit wrist, pulling his cufflinks, in order not to lose them in the heat of the action. He breathed before taking off toward the building across the street.

 

When he jumped toward the window, he thought back to his mission order.

 

***  
It was two days earlier in the premises of the CIA. Alec had just had breakfast delivered in his office. And while he was still eating a French “croissant au beurre” from his favorite French bakery, someone knocked on his door. 

 

“Come in.” 

 

He had barely slept recently. The anniversary of Max’s death was approaching, and he was having nightmares every night.  
He was only wearing sweatpants and he walked by the desk to grab a green sports t-shirt he particularly liked. As he was putting on his shirt, Isabelle entered the room. 

 

She was stunning, Alexander thought, as always. She was wearing a burgundy fitted dress open in the back. 

 

She walked towards Alec, a cup of coffee in her hand. She handed it to him, before kissing him gently on the cheek, leaving a faint trace of lipstick that Alexander quickly wiped away with his hand.

 

"Mrs. Herondale's waiting for you in her office. Apparently it’s important so put on a suit and go there directly. Do not drag it please, I told her that you were coming," Isabelle informed him before taking the plate with some remaining of his breakfast. 

 

"Leave it, I'll do it."  
He reached for her wrist but Isabelle recoiled.

 

"Alec. It's good. It's my job now. I'm not an agent anymore." Isabelle walked out of the room, carrying the tray with her. She looked tired and Alexander realized that she was not sleeping much lately either.

 

Alexander sighed, took the remote and turned on his stereo, a piano tune composed by Jace playing in the background. He took a pen and paper and quickly wrote on a post-it: Call dad.

 

He had taken the habit to call his father once a month to report to him the past missions he had fulfilled on the previous weeks.

 

Isabelle had always loved to dress extravagantly when she was still working as an agent for the CIA. She often wore very short tops or very short skirts. She liked to flirt with other agents that Alexander knew, like Meliorn of the business department. Or Simon who worked in the accounting department, Isabelle had finally agree with going on a date with Simon few years ago, after Alec had told his friend that he should invite her. And today Simon and Isabelle were engaged and planning on adopting a baby.

 

Since Max’s death, Isabelle mostly wore dresses or suits, and did everything possible to hide the ugly scar on her stomach. After Sebastian have violently injured her, she had to undergo major surgery, and that day, not only Isabelle had lost Max, her little Max, but she also lost the ability to have a child. Because of Sebastian.

 

Alexander put on his new navy blue linen suit, took a sip of coffee and quickly looked at the New York Times on his desk.

 

Nothing very unusual these days, and Alexander was beginning to think he would actually need some vacations, as nothing very important was going on these days.

 

For the past five years, Valentine hadn’t shown up, and all the crimes resolved by the CIA did not seem to involve him. If he was honest, it astonished Alec, and disappointed him a bit. But he shouldn't talk too fast. 

 

He walked to Mrs Herondale’s office, the president of the CIA.

 

As he opened the door, he saw his mother, Vice Director of the CIA, standing next to Mrs. Herondale.

 

"Alec," She greeted him with a formal smile, showing him a seat, but he just stood there.

 

His mother looked sad, just like everyone today. But he

 

"It’s Alexander here... please." He cleared his throat in a sign of impatience. He just wanted to know why he had been summoned here. 

 

"You will resolve your family business later, thank you. Mr. Lightwood, we have a mission of utmost importance for you.”

 

Alec sat down in a luxurious leather chair and ran his hand through his tousled hair, before holding Mrs Herondale’s look.

 

"I'm listening."

 

The director sighed before showing them multiple pictures that were projected on the main screen of her office. Some of Venice, the presidents of the UN, and to his surprise, of Valentine.  
Alec smirked coldly, and began to play with the signet ring he wore on the finger of the right hand. It had belonged to his father before him, and with a bit of luck he will pass it on as legacy to Jace’s or Isabelle’s children. 

 

"As you may know, in two days will be held the carnival of Venice, it’s also during this event that the various UN representatives will meet to renew the peace agreements between countries and take further steps of security concerning Valentine.”

 

"But ..." Maryse began but Alec raised a hand to shut her up. 

 

Mrs Herondale looked at Maryse with disdain, before clearing her throat, zooming in on two of the pictures. A photo of a man in an outdoor cafe near Rome.

 

"Is it..?" Maryse began.

 

"Valentine? We don’t know, the picture was taken by one of our agent who lives, or lived in Rome," Mrs Herondale explained, a puzzled look on her face.

 

"Lived?" Alexander asked, already knowing the answer.

 

"No more news from this agent since this photo was sent to us."

 

Alexander got up, grabbed the file on Mrs Herondale table and walked towards the exit.

 

"007, what are you ..."

 

"We have no time to lose. If Valentine is involved, then the UN representatives are in danger." He opened the file and quickly looked at what was in it.

 

"The representatives arrive tomorrow and will sign the agreements in two days! I’ll arrive in the afternoon in Italy. I will monitor the worldwide presidents until the signing of the agreements and I will make sure they all stay safe and healthy and that they’ll all get home in their respective countries."

 

Alexander closed the folder and tucked it under his arm.

 

"I'll get some stuff in my office. I'll be back in four days maximum. I'll see you later, Mother."

 

"You are our best agent, 007, he would be proud of you."

 

Alexander didn’t turn, he simply heard Maryse gasp with emotion. He passed the door, and took the direction of Isabelle’s office, who was talking with Simon and Jace, holding Simon’s hand firmly and smiling to Jace. She was beautiful when she smiled and Alec felt a sharp pain in his chest. He hadn’t seen her like this since a very long time. She was glowing. And Alec was wondering what could make her so happy. 

 

When she turned her head and saw Alexander, her face softened and she smiled at him.

 

"Isabelle, I need the chopper on the roof in 30 minutes, if you have a suitcase ready with 2 suits, pants and some shirts. I will also need you Jace. Come with me. I need to see Hodge before I leave, I'll surely ask for your advices." Jace smiled and started walking beside Alexander. "Also, if you can get me a lunch ..."

 

"Italian will do?" She smiled before starting to type on her computer. Alexander knew that Isabelle had chosen to be a secretary to stay as far as possible from any missions, but she wanted to continue to take care of her brothers.

 

"You're perfect," Alexander smiled and gave her a wink.

 

"And do not forget to send me your bills this time!" Simon reminded him, adjusting his glasses as he knew Alec had some tendency to “forget” that he needed to give his bills to the accountant department. 

 

Then he frowned as Alexander walked toward the weapons room. The latter did not even bother to turn around, he sent a mere wave with his hand to Simon.

 

He continued his way with Jace, across the hallway toward the weapons room.

 

"Of course you won’t tell me where you are affected, and of course you will refuse to let me come with you." Jace almost pout and Alec smiled softly. Max was so much like Jace. 

 

"I need you here Jace, you know that." Alec wasn’t even looking at him, but he knew Jace was upset. 

 

"Yes Alec, you need me to fill out paperwork and your ..." Alexander cut him, acidly but softly.

 

"Jace, I need you, if something happened here ... With Valentine, you're the only person I trust enough to ..."

 

Jace stared at him. He was angry. Unlike Alec, Jace did not hide his emotions.

 

"Are you really going to spend your time reminding me that I was not there THAT day? Because you're right, I wasn’t there, I haven’t been able to ..."

 

Jace sent his fist violently against the wall. He was containing his anger, and Alexander could see it.

 

"Jace… " Alexander whispered, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulders. Jace felt like it wasn’t even an option to argue with Alec about Max’s death, so he sighed, run his hand over his hair… and then, he pulled away from his brother’s embrace. 

 

"I'm fine, Alec. Come on, let's go see Hodge."

 

They entered the room, Hodge was in the process of taking a look at Alexander’s old Aston Martin. Although he spent his time improving it, Hodge complained a lot and asked every month to Alec for a larger lab. In his huge laboratory, Hodge had already prepared a whole range of accessories.

 

"You took you time, I was waiting for you."  
He removed his thick working glasses and quickly reached the table where laid all the guns and other stuffs.  
“Ok so, 007, here are all your accessories for this mission. Your Beretta, this is a classic but if you push this little button here.” He picked up the gun and showed them a small button near the trigger. “It’ll send a strong soporific. Be careful though,” Hodge said before putting down Alec’s Beretta on the table. “It’s so powerful it could easily knock out an elephant.”

 

Hodge smile widened when they came across a pair of black sunglasses. 

 

“Oh, I like this one: common sunglasses, right? Not quite. Technology is so amazing! With this, you have ten times the vision you could have with binoculars, and a radar. Useful if you want to track the bad guys.”

 

Alexander and Jace were curious and they examined all the new gadgets offered by Hodge with both amused and serious looks.

 

"Oh, another classic! Your Rolex but if you press this little button: boom! Soporific darts. I'm a genius,” Hodge exclaimed with a beaming smile. Alexander sighed but couldn’t hold back a laugh. "Last but not least, the gadget that I hate the most... That's it."

 

"Um... That’s my linen suit, Hodge." Alec didn’t seemed impressed, not in the slightest, truth be told. 

 

“Not anymore!” Hodge was almost jumping with excitement.

 

"The fiber is so strong that it could stop a small-caliber bullet! Well, if you’re shot you with something bigger than 60mm, I guarantee nothing, but it also resists to fire, and thermal shock." Hodge was showing every part of the suit so Alec could feel the soft material. 

 

"I’m not going to the North Pole, Hodge, But thank you." Alec sigh before taking his suit.

 

Alec picked up the jacket, the watch and the glasses before going on the roof with Jace. The helicopter was already ready to go, when they reached the roof. Alec shook Jace’s hand vigorously before hugging him.

 

"I count on you, you're the man for the CIA," Alec smiled as he was patting his brother’s back.

 

Jace laughed before he climbed in the helicopter.

 

***

 

Alexander was glad he was wearing Hodge’s wound-proof suit as he broke through the window.

 

He got up quickly, shaking his suit and dropping the glass splinters and dust that were caught on it. The UN representatives looked at him with wide eyes before stammering in every languages. Alexander heard some Italian, Spanish, Russian, but stopped them before this cacophony could continue.

 

"Gentlemen, may I ask you to lie down,” he asked with a smile. “Please." He made a gesture so everyone could understand what he was trying to say.

 

When every representative began to lie on the ground, the door opened with a huge explosion.

 

"Toc Toc Toc" The man in the white suit walked into the room, his mask still on his face. He stepped forward to acknowledge that everyone, except one person, was down.

 

Alexander stood in the middle of the room, his Beretta in hand, a smile on his lips.

 

"Well, well, well..." The man with the mask sneered under his disguise.

 

Alexander froze. He recognized that laughter. Now he was sure he knew who was the man standing in front of him. He tried to hide his disgust when this one removed his mask, a few blonde, almost white, highlights dropping on his face. A face that could have been called angelic if you didn’t know the monster hiding behind this handsome man.

 

"Lightwood! You missed me, I hope?" A thick blond strand of hair hid his right eye, and Alexander smirked thinking about the painful memory of his last encounter with Sebastian.   
"I didn’t expect to see you here! It's impressive that you still manage to surprise me, Alexander."

 

"Oh, not as much as you, Morgernstern. I thought I would see your father or one of his lackeys, but definitely not you."

 

"Oh, I was not going to miss our reunion, it's been what, three or four years?"

 

"Five." Alexander's tone was cold. Sebastian knew that it was the anniversary of the Max’s death.

 

"But I see that you kept a good memory of our last meeting."  
Alexander knew very well what Sebastian was about to tell him. The mere knowledge that this could hurt Alexander had to be exhilarating for him. But Alec was surprised to see Sebastian push away his loose strand of hair to flatten it over his head. He had a large scar that started at the forehead and spread to half of his cheek. His eyes had however lost nothing of their darkness and their animosity.

 

"I show you mine, what about you show me yours?" Sebastian was speaking of the scar that Alexander had on the right flank. The pain he had experienced that day came back to him and he came to himself quickly before getting distracted.

 

The UN representatives were still on the ground, and Sebastian had not forgotten about the. The next thing Alec saw was Sebastian’s gun pointed on the French representative. Alexander didn’t know much French but he recalled that "Putain" was a fairly common insult in France.

 

Alexander launched himself on Sebastian and the situation seemed all too familiar. 

 

“What are you waiting for? All of you, leave now!” Alec 

 

Sebastian was squirming behind him, trying to fire with his gun blindly.

 

Once they were alone in the room, Sebastian, rage bubbling in him, let his anger explode and throw his fist in Alexander’s arcade. He took the punch with a slight grunt of pain. Sebastian pushed him violently, with a moan of rage, and Alexander rushed to give a hard kick to close the door and block Sebastian’s path.

 

In a fit of anger, Sebastian jumped on Alexander before throwing them both on the large table in the center of the room. Alec struck his back violently on the marble and stifled a curse.

 

Sebastian was astride on him, and Alec felt like Sebastian was pleased to see Alec at his mercy, a violent fist came to hit on Alexander’s face, and accentuated the pain he already had on his head. He retaliated by sending a knee in Sebastian’s stomach. And before the latter was able to recover, he bludgeoned him with another blow. Sebastian raised his head and Alec heard a thud, a helicopter that had stopped right outside the window. Sebastian then struck on Alec’s stomach, violently.

 

“A small return to sender, my friend Lightwood, say hello to your daddy for me." Sebastian said, wiping some blood that was drying at the corner of his mouth. 

 

And while Alexander was still stunned, Sebastian kissed him lightly on the cheek and he shuddered at the touch before receiving another blow in the stomach. Within a few seconds, the time it took Alexander to get back on his feet, Sebastian was already in the helicopter, waving at him with a smirk.

 

Alexander rushed to the balcony, but it was no longer possible to jump. He suddenly thought about what Hodge had said about his watch.

 

"This button sends soporific darts, while the latter sending darts of my own invention. In each of the darts, there’s a chip or cookie if you like. It's perfect if you want to follow someone, and it’s microscopic, invisible to the naked eye. It hangs on the skin, clothing, hair, whatever you want."

 

Alexander therefore aimed at Sebastian and fired a dart in his direction. A light sound attracted his attention. He looked at his watch and saw a message appear: Target locked.

 

He grabbed his phone and dialed Jace’s number. After three ringtones, his brother answered.

 

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood. Holy shit, what is wrong with you? Do you know what time it is here?!" Jace yawned, and before he was able to yelled again, Alec cut him off.

 

"The time for you to immediately check the tracker data that I’ve just sent to the central computer. They were right, it was one of Valentine’s stunts" Alec hurried him, as he started running down the stairs to find himself in a crowded street. 

 

"Oh, shit. Alec, are you okay?" Jace sounded wide awake now.

 

"A few scratches, nothing serious. It will get better after a shower and a vodka." Alec sighed and he could hear Jace laughing. 

 

“Ok, I’m getting dressed, I’ll be at the CIA in an hour, maybe two.. I’ll call you when I have something new.” Jace yawned again before starting to mumble things like “Why always me?” and “Who gave me such a bossy brother?” 

 

Alec hung up before heading towards the “Bella Note”, his hotel for the night. The next day, he would be in New York again, working even harder to find Sebastian, that little son of a bitch. He was going to spend all the time he had to find him, and make him pay for everything he had done, not only to Alec and his family, but also to all the people he had hurt. It had to be quite a long list.

 

Alexander had a very long and very hot shower. When he stepped out from it, smoke still running over his body, hot and wet, and Alec, wearing only a towel tied around his waist, sat on the bed, reading a newspaper. He was waiting for Jace’s call, and around 8pm as he still had nothing, he decided to go to the bar of the Bella Notte.

 

Alec could also call room service from his bedroom to order a bottle of vodka, but he felt in the mood to talk to people tonight, even if the only person he wanted to have a conversation with tonight, was the bartender.

 

He moved down, sat at the bar and ordered a shot of vodka that he drank in one go, before making a sign to the bartender for another drink.

 

"Somebody had a bad day?" an unknown, male and very seductive voice murmured, close to his ear.

 

Alexander turned to find a man standing in front of him, Asian-looking with glamourous dark eyes, enlightened with some glittery makeup. He wore tight black pants and a loose embroidered burgundy red shirt with golden pattern. He wore several necklaces, some near the neck and others that reached down to his navel.

 

"Oh, where are my manners? Bane, Magnus Bane." the man said, extending his hand to shake Alexander’s. "And may I know your name?"

 

"The name is Lightwood, Alexander Lightwood."

 

"Alexander," he almost purred. He quickly pulled a small mirror from his pocket and wiped the top of his eyes, gently, with a gesture of his quite skilled finger.

 

"Well... well, Alexander, I must say something -" He placed his hand on Alec’s shoulder, who gaped. God, this man was seductive. "- I came here on holiday, thinking I’d be partying with friends, and I am alone here tonight, and you know... I hate to drink alone."

 

Alec stared at the man who stood facing him, and showed him the seat, which was next to him. Magnus, the seductive stranger, sat next to Alec and ordered a sex on the beach. Alexander felt somewhat blushing at the name of the cocktail and ordered another vodka.

 

"So Alexander, what brings you to the beautiful city of Venice? I can’t believe it’s the Carnival? Your look makes me think that you're not here for the festivities, or I guess you would be out with everyone else. The party has only started."

 

"Not everyone, it seems," Alexander replied, downing his glass again. He was about to order another shot when Magnus raised a hand towards the barman.

 

"Oh, leave it, that's on me. Have you ever tasted the limoncello? It's a lemon liquor, it is manufactured here in Italy and it's delicious." The words in Magnus’s mouth sounded like music notes. Alec barely remembered to not bite on his bottom lip, he couldn’t admit he was attracted to a perfect stranger. Magnus was so handsome, so confident, Alec could have just jumped on him to ravish his lips. But he was Alexander Lightwood, CIA’s best agent, he wasn’t going to get distracted by some sexy god. 

 

“Hum. No… Never tried,” he answered a bit shyly.

 

What was wrong with him tonight? He didn’t like to show his weaknesses so easily but unfortunately, this man was far too sexy not to enjoy the moment, and Alexander was on a drinking mood tonight.

 

“So,” Magnus leaned a finger so he could run it on the aim of his glass “Alexander Lightwood, what are you doing in Venice in these very festive times? Because, to me, you don’t have look like the type of men who’d be inclined to have fun some tonight." 

 

Alexander felt himself blushing, as he understood the innuendo Magnus made there.

 

"Work." Alec wasn’t really allowed to reveal his identity, and he was trying to be pretty elusive, but to be honest, he was a terrible liar, so he figured it was more simple just to be coy. 

 

"To work? Can you be less specific? What kind of work includes wearing an expensive suit that is also way too classy."

 

"Too classy for me? Do I need to feel offended?" Alexander chuckled. Yes, he had a rather childish face and he was only 24 years old. All in all, he was one of the youngest agents at the CIA.

 

Magnus laughed heartily. He browsed his hand gently on Alexander’s arm.

 

"Oh, someone is working out here." Magnus's eyes roamed Alec’s body and he thought that if Magnus had been a warlock, with some kind of powerful and kinky magic, he would have long since stripped him with this look. "But you didn’t answer me, what kind of work then?" Magnus was being curious, and Alec felt like he won’t be able to stay elusive. 

 

"I'm in the foreign business, I travel a lot for work. And unfortunately all my colleagues are already gone. I hope to find them later for a meeting." Alec wasn’t lying, he hoped he would be able to check on the representatives before he could leave, at least to make sure they were all safe.

 

"I see, I see, you must be a busy man." Magnus continued to stare at Alexander.

 

"And you?" Alec looked at his empty glass, wishing he had something else to drink right now.

 

"Oh me? I do what pleases me, when it pleases me." Magnus’s tone was cheeky, and Alec found himself smiling. 

 

“Are you always so cryptic?” Alexander said, smiling despite the fact that he didn’t like when people were so mysterious. It usually made him uncomfortable and kept him on his guard.

 

“I'm not being cryptic, I'm being coy.” Magnus smirked before he waved at the waiter. 

 

The waiter brought two small glasses filled with a yellow and very bright liquid with a strong smell of lemon. Before Alexander was able to take a sip, a cry rang out behind him, and he turned quickly. He saw that the source of the scream was a young girl, trying to prevent his companion from tickling her, as they walked out of the hotel. Alexander sighed and thought that even if it was good practice to develop his reflexes, he needed to stop seeing evil everywhere.

 

He turned back and saw Magnus, smiling, holding his glass of limoncello. Alexander took it and looked at Magnus.

 

"To us," Magnus said before swallowing his drink in one gulp, Alexander did the same, and set the glass on the bar. This limoncello was both very sweet and very bitter. He couldn’t tell whether he liked it or not.

 

“How is your drink Alexander?” Magnus asked with a strange smirk that made Alec look at his glass with intensity. Of course, he had already drank it all. 

 

Before Alexander had the time to respond to Magnus, his phone rang.

 

incoming call: Jace

 

"Oh. I have to take this, it's important..."

 

"I understand, you're a busy man."

 

Alexander quickly rose from his chair to deviate from Magnus. He felt his head spinning and he felt dizzy. Vodka was usually not doing that to him.

 

"Alec, it's Jace." Alexander sighed. Yes, he had suspected that much. "I have good news and bad news for you."

 

"Start with the bad... Please."

 

"Well, the bad news is that the area of residence of our dear friends is protected by a protection system of the last generation, almost impossible to hack."

 

"If that's the bad news, then tell me that good is that you can unlock it for me."   
Alexander walked a bit farther so Magnus could not hear him. He was starting to feel hot and his breathing almost painful.

 

"Indeed, the little genius, and incredibly handsome guy that I am, is already on it. With a hundred liters of coffee, I should hold on for the next 24 hours. If all goes well, we can have the location when you get back."

 

"Jace... what... what would I do... without you?" Alexander loosened his tie trying to breathe a little, but the air refused to enter his lungs.

 

"Alec, are you OK? You sound, I don’t know, are you alright?"

 

Alexander didn’t want to distract Jace, who had to stay focused. He took a deep breath - and the air almost burned his lungs - before responding to Jace.

 

"Yes... Uh... I have a terrible headache all of a sudden... Probably due to my encounter with Mr Morgenstern."

 

"Oh. I see. Go to bed, it will be better tomorrow, and avoid the vodka, it would worsen it. I'll see you tomorrow, bye."

 

Jace hung up and everything around Alec began to turn slowly, then quickly. Alec's head hit the ground violently and everything went dark within a moment. The last thing he saw before passing out was Magnus’s smile.

 

**  
It was a spring morning, all the Lightwoods were sitting around a large table filled with a sumptuous breakfast that Maryse had prepared. Coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, fresh fruits, croissants - the ones Alec and Max preferred -, scrambled eggs with bacon, pancakes...

 

Everyone was happy, everyone was smiling. Jace had just asked Clary's hand, his girlfriend, who worked with Hodge at the CIA. She was normally a graphic designer and had been hired to draw the plans for Hodge’s gadgets. Clary was a pretty little redhead, and she had just said yes to Jace. Maryse and Robert were there and had taken Clary in their arms before congratulating them.

 

Isabelle had lifted from Simon's lap to take Clary in his arms. To Alexander’s surprise, when Izzy got up, he saw that she had a very round belly. Isabelle was pregnant. Alexander stifled a sob and smiled even more.

 

They were all together, and they were happy. And Alexander had never felt so glad in his life, when suddenly, a little boy threw himself into Alec’s arms.

 

"Alec! Alec! Come play with me please! Jace is busy kissing Clary and Isabelle must pay attention to her baby."

 

Max. Max was there. He wore a white shirt and white shorts, which brought out his green eyes. He pulled on Alec’s sleeve to make him rise from his chair to come and play with him.

 

Maryse smiled with that motherly look on her face, the same she had when he was a child and he remembered his mother was looking at Isabelle and him like that. She wore a white dress, like Clary and Isabelle. As for Robert, Jace, Simon, and Alexander himself, they all wore a white shirt with some white shorts.

 

Max and Alexander went to the swing where he began to push Max. Every time he pushed higher because it made Max laugh. Alexander stopped as soon as he realized that Max's shirt had red tingle.

 

Max! He tried to yell several times the name of his brother, but no sound came out of his mouth. He took Max in his arms, trying to prevent the blood from flowing, but nothing worked.

 

"Max, Max, Max, no... No, it's okay, I'm here..."  
A flood of tears ran down Alec’s cheeks.

 

Max stood up, his shirt was stained with red now, and everyone laughed again and nobody saw the distress in Alec’s eyes.

 

"No, Alec. You should have been there." Max closed his eyes and disappeared. Alexander was still covered with blood. The most of it was on his hands, and he stifled a sob, he screamed one last time before waking.

 

***

 

"MAX!"

 

Alexander opened his eyes to realize he was in a hotel room. He was panting, his breathing was choppy, and it was hot. The room was plunged into the darkness, only lit by a few candles, a sweet smell of vanilla in the air, and Alexander realized that this was definitely not his hotel room.

 

"Oh. My sleeping beauty woke up, I thought I could still relax a little, the sleeping pills that I used were quite powerful... Remind me to get a refund!"

 

Magnus had just sat down on the edge of the bed. He was only wearing his tight pants, exposing his perfect chest, he was barefoot. When he came back to himself, Alexander realized he was only wearing a boxer. He felt terribly vulnerable, and discovered with horror, when he tried to get up, that he was handcuffed to the bed

 

"What?" A painful shock ran through his body and he swore in pain.

 

"It'll pass in a few minutes, don’t worry." Magnus drank a shot in one gulp, probably limoncello, if the yellowy color was anything to go by. "Can I offer you a small glass of limoncello? I didn’t put anything in this one, promise."

 

Alec grinned and Magnus put the glass on the table by the bed.

 

Magnus started to climb on the bed like a cat and positioned himself over Alexander. He gasped when Magnus started sucking on his throat vigorously.

 

"Magnus... Ah..."

 

Alexander felt Magnus smile against his neck, and he rose a moment to look at him, squirming, watching Alexander being so vulnerable under him.

 

"Oh, it's pretty exciting to have an agent in my bed, I can’t wait to see your gadgets."

 

Alexander gasped. Magnus... How could he know that...

 

"I should have known, such a handsome man could not be an ordinary tourist." Alec almost spat.

 

"Oh you’re wrong, I'm actually on vacation here, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard of you. You're pretty famous among my clients.” Magnus was still smiling at him with that devious smirk on his face.

 

"Your clients?" Alec didn’t know who Magnus’s clients were, and at this point, this was the least of his troubles. Magnus was skilled with drugs apparently, and he must have been the one to put that thing in Alec’s drink. And what the hell was that drug anyway, Alec felt that his body was burning, and he couldn’t think straight. 

 

He tried to focus. So Magnus was involved with drugs, if he could have things that powerful to knock Alec for that long. 

 

"Yes, my clients. Oh, I don’t like to brag but I'm probably the best when it comes to concocting potions..." Magnus’s tone was now smooth and full with lust.

 

Ok so Magnus was the one who provides. That not necessarily meant he was a drug dealer, but he was providing it, and who knew who his clients were? 

 

"So you're providing, that's it, I guess it pays well." Alexander was not particularly angry, but he tried to focus on enough rage to break his handcuffs nevertheless, and for now all his attempts had failed.

 

Magnus came near to Alexander before kissing him, a rather gentle kiss at first. A kiss that soon became violent when Alec started kissing back.

 

Magnus started to bite on Alexander’s lower lip and he felt a wave of heat rising in him. When their kiss became fiercer and Alexander couldn’t bear to be attached to the bed, he pulled with all his strength on the handcuffs. He could feel a warm liquid running down his wrist, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

 

Magnus plastered him against the bed with his body and Alexander tried to wrestle with his legs for a while, but they were blocked by Magnus’s body that was more muscular than he seemed. It didn’t help that Alexander was still weak from the drugs he had swallowed earlier in the evening.

 

Magnus returned to his throat after breaking their kiss. Alexander found himself wanting more.

 

"My, my... Somebody is eager."

 

Magnus looked at Alexander with an amused look, he was unable to hide the bulge in his boxer. Alexander swallowed loudly before feeling Magnus pull on the elastic of his underwear.

 

"Magnus... Stop..."

 

Magnus laid kisses along the line of Alec’s torso, pausing a few moments to bite playfully on Alec's nipples.

 

Magnus stood up in order to remove his trousers, because they probably now were very uncomfortable. He slid his black skinny jeans down his long legs and decided to keep his flashy purple boxer.

 

Then he threw his pants on the ground. He took one of Alec's wrists and gently kissed it before wiping the blood with a towel he had taken on the nightstand. Alec turned his head and saw some condoms and lube on it. Either Magnus was expecting someone else, or Alec was not going to have much sleep that night.

 

Magnus leaned down to kiss Alec again. He had stopped struggling now, he was still a bit dizzy but he couldn’t, and was trying to keep his strength to break his handcuffs even though he had not much hope about that.

 

Magnus turned slowly to play with one of Alec’s nipples and he started squirming under Magnus’s touches. Finally, he let out a small whine of pleasure. 

 

Magnus was pleased, and took much pleasure with going on very slowly. Alec was startled when he felt hands, Magnus’s hands, removing his boxers. It slid down his legs, leaving Alec completely naked and vulnerable under Magnus.

 

Magnus smiled again before biting on his lower lip. Alexander was a handsome man, so muscular and yet so submissive right between my thighs, he thought. He slowly stroked Alec's chest and directing his hand towards Alec’s cock.

 

Alexander arched his back again, gasping and panting at each of Magnus's touches. He started a slow movement of back and forth, which soon became a torture for Alec, who struggled to restrain his screams of pleasure. He tried not to bite his lower lip, but failed, and bit slightly too strongly, causing a small blood trickle to run down his chin. Magnus increased his pace and Alec could definitely not hold it in any longer; a loud moan escaped his mouth.

 

Alec groaned loudly again, as Magnus was bobbing his head, slowly at first, then with a more accentuated rhythm and Alec’s chest was jumping every time Magnus touched a sweet spot. He continued for a bit before feeling that Alec was getting closer, as the latter was on the top of the edge, his moans becoming messier and louder as Magnus was sucking him, pinching his nipples at the same time. Then Magnus stopped abruptly, just as Alec was about to come.

 

Magnus smiled, and took advantage of that time to move from Alec’s body, and he began to remove his boxers and Alec took the opportunity. He managed to lift his legs as Magnus was out of bed. He pulled on the handcuffs, breaking his bonds and he stood up, rubbing his wrists, winking at Magnus as the latter seemed pretty impressed, but Alec suspected that the shackles were pretty cheap. 

 

As he rose from the bed, Magnus was back on his feet, standing naked before him.

 

"Well, I was wondering when you’d would finally break those," said Magnus, a predatory smile on his face.

 

Alexander rushed towards him and pushed him with all his might against the wall of the room. Magnus let out a little grunt, and Alec didn’t know if he wanted to hit him, or if he just should smooch that man until he begged him for air. 

 

Alec chose the second option and pushed Magnus even further against the wall. Alec pulled both his hands against the wall, trapping Magnus with his body, feeling Magnus’s erection throbbing and twitching against his. 

 

Breaking their kiss so they could breath for a moment, Magnus looked at Alec with so much lust in his eyes that Alec was tempted to take him just right now against the wall.

 

“I know what you think, Alexander, and if you’re not doing it now, I swear you’ll regret it,” Magnus purred in Alec’s ear.

 

Alec bent to kiss Magnus furiously on the mouth before sucking on his neck, leaving several hickeys, but Alec didn’t care at all, and neither did Magnus who was moaning, and threw his arms around Alec’s neck before tugging him in another passionate kiss. 

 

Alec grabbed Magnus’s thighs and pushed him up against the wall so Magnus could twist his legs around his hips. Then he moved them towards the nightstand where the condoms and the lube were.

 

“Do you even deserve that?” Alec asked with a playful smile on his lips. 

 

He knew Magnus would suffer if if he wasn’t prepared, but it didn’t seem to bother him, and he pulled on Alec’s hair to attack his neck again and leave a hickey on his jugular. Taking that as a “Alexander if you don’t take me right now I might poison your water and slowly kill you”, Alec pressed two fingers on Magnus lips, forcing him to open his mouth. Magnus smirked and let out his tongue to start licking the two digits as Alec was pressing them in his mouth.

 

Magnus started to twirl his tongue around the fingers as Alec was panting, still holding him against the wall. Once Magnus coated his fingers with saliva, he started brushing them against Magnus’s entrance.

 

“Are you ready for this?” Alec breathed in Magnus’s ear.

 

He was rewarded with a small grunt as Magnus moved his hips searching for some contact.

 

Alec, as horny as he was, managed to gently push a first finger in. Searching for that sweet spot that was going to make Magnus scream.

 

After a few thrusts, he began to moan and Alec knew he was near the little bundle of nerves he was searching for. As Magnus was relaxing around his finger, he pushed another one inside and Magnus jerked his head, before he came back to suck on Alec’s neck. 

 

Alec began to lose control as he entered a third finger.

 

He stretched Magnus as the latter was almost on the edge, moving and clenching around Alec’s fingers. As Magnus was now babbling his name, he knew he was ready. 

 

Alec pushed Magnus against the other wall, nearby the nightstand, and managed to open a condom with his teeth while Magnus was still panting, clawing and scratching at Alec’s back to show his displeasure and impatience. Alec groaned at the contact of Magnus’s nails which flayed at his flesh. He would most likely have fine scratches in the morning.

 

“Do me, Alexander, I want you to take me so hard against that wall that I won’t be able to walk straight for days,” Magnus purred in his ear and Alec couldn’t contain himself anymore.

 

He opened the lube with his one free hand, spreading some on his shaft and Magnus lowered his hand to gently stroke him and seeing Alec was moaning and panting, he took his hand back and gave him a provocative smile.

 

“Alexander, I swear… God… If you don’t…”

 

Magnus didn’t even had the time to finish what he was about to say, Alec slammed Magnus’s buttock against the wall and grabbed it, before entering him, softly. And Magnus gasped as Alec was filling him. 

 

Alec pushed Magnus violently against the wall before starting pounding, slowly at first, turning it into torture for Magnus, and then he increased the speed as Magnus tightened his grip on his shoulders. 

 

“Ah… A… Alexander… “

 

“Say it, and I’ll do the rest.” Alexander gave a vigorous hit with his hips and felt Magnus squirm, throwing his head back and hitting the wall. Alec knew he touched a sweet spot, and then he thrusted with more strength, as Magnus was grunting and scratching Alec’s back.

 

“Mag… Magnus… Ugh…“

 

Alexander was now panting as he was increasing his pace, Magnus moaning and grunting against his neck. Magnus started biting Alec’s neck again.

 

Alec was close, he lowered his hand to stroke him, Magnus rewarded him with a fierce moan as he was close as well. And Alec gave a final blow with his hips before slamming Magnus one last time against the wall to kiss him passionately. Magnus released on their chests. They were both panting and cursing as they were riding their orgasms.

 

“My, my… You’ll never cease to amaze me Alexander…”

 

Alec smiled before throwing Magnus on the bed and lay over his body, to tease him by biting his nipples.

 

“Yes, especially when you know that it was only the first round…” Alexander started to bite on his bottom lip. Magnus looked at him with a playful smile.

 

“Oh Alexander… You’re going to wreck me.”

 

“That’s my mission tonight!” Alexander smiled before kissing Magnus fiercely.

 

When Alec woke up, he was lying on his stomach, in a hotel room, and definitely not his. The room was far too fancy to be his. 

 

Several empty bottles of champagne sat on the table, the room was spacious and luxurious, surely one of the most expensive the hotel had.

 

Alexander felt his head spinning and he opened his eyes. He was lying naked on a king size bed, and the room was bathed in the afternoon light. The night had been somewhat... eventful. Magnus and he had sex in the entire room. Against the wall, on the table, even in the bathtub of the luxurious bathroom.

 

"Oh shit..." Alexander grabbed his phone to see that it was already 3pm. His helicopter was probably waiting on the roof of the hotel already. Before he realized, a hand touched his shoulder.

 

"Hmm... So are we trying to run away before I even wake up?" Magnus was lying beside him, completely naked, a glass of champagne in his hand. "Ready for another round?" Magnus said with a playful smirk on his face as he was pouring himself a drink. 

 

"How can you drink at this hour? We barely even woke up, and with everything we’ve drunk yesterday?” Alec answered, almost throwing up as he was searching for his clothes. 

 

"Oh, we treat evil with evil! And well, it's happy hour somewhere my dear!" Magnus gave him a wink, and handed him the glass.

 

"No, I have to go, I am expected in New York." Alexander put his pants on and quickly pulled on a shirt. Magnus was still naked on the bed, and he was even sexier than the previous night.

 

"Ah... I guess I'll see you there, then." Magnus said and waited for Alec’s reaction. Said man was too busy rushing toward the doors.

 

Alexander, who was now near the door, stopped dead on his tracks.

 

"What?" Alec almost screamed.

 

"Oh ... I didn’t tell you? I live in New York, too." Magnus answered with a smirk. 

 

Magnus got up and put on a robe made of black silk in his dressing, it was beautiful and lined with golden foil. Alexander sighed but smiled, and got out of the room quickly. Magnus watched him as he was leaving the room and smiled too.

 

Once on the roof, Alexander got into the helicopter before calling Jace.

 

"Here’s sexy Wayland, Alec, where are you?" 

 

Alec sighed. Jace would never change.

 

"On my way. What's new?” Alec yawned too. He hadn't slept a lot after all. 

 

"My results are 80% loading. They should be available when you return!” Jace yawned before he hung up.

 

Alexander returned around 9pm and didn’t take time to change. He rushed to see Jace in his office.

 

Jace was asleep on his desk, his computer showed 99.99% loading.

 

"Wake up sleeping beauty!" Alexander yelled, giving a violent blow in Jace’s chair, and this one jumped before realizing that Alec was there. "How can we enter so easily in your office Jace? It's almost childish."

 

"Yeah, right. I asked an armored office, no one wanted to give me one, too bad."

 

When they looked at the screen, a big 100% alert was flashing.

 

"Awesome!" Jace threw himself on his keyboard before typing lines of code, and Alec was almost impressed by the speed at which Jace worked. When he was working!

 

"And now. Your lovely little blondie is, suspense, in Switzerland?” Jace managed to said between two yawns.

 

"What? But Dad is in Switzerland, I’m leaving immediately, call the chopper! If this son of a bitch does anything." Alec stammered as he was taken by a sudden panic.

 

"No no!" Jace interrupted. "Dad's here. He arrived a few hours before you did." Jace yelled as Alec was already at the door.

 

"And nobody warned me.” Alec said with a mix of anger and relief in his tone.

 

"You just arrived and I was sleeping..." Jace started but Alec cut him off.

 

"Never mind... I'll take a shower, where is Dad?" Alec asked as he was relaxing a bit as he was walking out Jace’s office.

 

"Oh he was a little jetlagged so he went to bed. You'll see him tomorrow, we’ll have lunch together," Jace yawned again. "Meanwhile, I’m going to bed, I haven’t slept that much..."

 

"Yeah, neither did I. Good night Jace.” Alec waved at him as he was exiting the room.

 

Jace waved his hand before standing up and stretching.

 

When Alec entered his room, he put all of his things on the coffee table, and headed towards the bathroom. He let himself slip in his large tub, the hot water soothing his muscles and he actually relaxed for a moment, and suddenly he thought about his night with Magnus. Their night... so erotic... in this hotel room.

 

Just when he was beginning to fall asleep, the phone rang and he almost dropped it into the water as he grabbed it.

 

"Unknown number."

 

He picked nonetheless.

 

"Hello, who's this?" 

 

"Alexander, it's... Magnus."

 

"Oh. Magnus… But... how did you..."

 

"I have my sources, you know... OK, Alexander, I was wondering if you were free, let's say, tomorrow night?"

 

"Sounds fun ... Where?"

 

“Meet me at “L’institut” the French restaurant, around 8pm?”

 

“Fine. I’ll meet you there.”

 

He heard Magnus’s laugh before he hung up the phone, and Alexander let himself sink into the bathtub before pulling his head out of the water. This Magnus Bane was probably going to kill him.


	2. Apple Martini

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec has come back from Italy to track Sebastian. When the only thing he could think about is his date with the mysterious Magnus Bane, some trouble in paradise might come to change his plan.
> 
> Action, gadget and sex. Do you accept the mission to read this chapter?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thanks the people that motivated me to write this new chapter because I didn't know if I was going to.   
> Thank you to my beautiful Nath, my main motivation I hope you'll like this chapter, and also my baby Fede(ral) I know you waited so loooong for that chapter but I'll try my best to update quickly next time <3
> 
> Obviously, there's some references for my amazing DMT friends, I hope you'll find them ;)
> 
> AND ! At least but not last, the biggest thank you is for my AMAZING Beta @Fearless_Color , she was perfect / amazing / tremendous with this chapter ! So much love on you <3 
> 
> Hope you'll enjoy this new chapter :3  
> Tell me what you think: comment, kudos and hugs makes me happy !
> 
> @PresidentMiaou on Twitter !

It was incredibly hot, maybe one of the most hot and beautiful summer days, and Alexander Lightwood was enjoying this day on a lounge chair in the garden of his parents' house, the one at the edge of the ocean.

 

He loved above all, the melody produced by the waves. These waves that came crashing on the rocks, and which allowed themselves to be taken again by the sea. The smell of the foam, which was spread over the beach.

 

"Alec! Stop sleeping! Come on! We'll swim!" A little voice called. Small hands resting on his arm began to pull it.

 

Alexander smiled, but he continued pretending to sleep. His sunglasses on his nose, it was unclear if he was really asleep.

 

"Max ... I had a rough week, you know? Go swimming without me."

 

Max pouted. He did not like it when Alec came to spend the weekend at their vacation home, if it was for him to remain lying down all day and not having fun with it.

 

Alexander worked with his father for the CIA. He was one of their best agents. He also worked with his mother, who was the Vice President, his sister Isabelle and her brother Jace. Clary and Simon, the betrothed of his siblings also worked with them, and one day, Max, was also going to join the CIA.

 

A smile appeared on the face of Alexander when he saw his little brother away to the beach with his little bucket and small shovel for sand castles. Alec closed his eyes again, letting himself be lulled by the sound of waves and laughter of Max, who was running after the seagulls. His hair flying, his laughter was light and childish.

 

Alexander then plunged into a semi-sleep. A wave of ice swept over his body followed by a laugh that he knew too well.

 

"Max! I just had this shirt for the weekend! Come here!"

 

Max grinned at Alec before running toward the beach, his little bare feet leaving no trace in the wet sand, but Alec did not care.

 

"Alec, Catch me! Catch me, go!" Max laughed and ran in all directions. He approached the waves and Alec, who had left his shirt, and his makeshift bed, rushed to his little brother.

 

He ran much faster than Max, yet he seemed to get stuck in the sand, and Max stood before him, out of reach. He tried to run but his legs were not moving. And Max, who seemed so near, was yet so far.

 

"Alec! You're coming or not?" Max looked at Alec with a sad and broken smile. "Please… Alec, come with me. I'm all alone. I feel so alone, I don’t want to go back..."

 

"Max... What are you talking about?" Alexander did not understand.

 

Max stood frozen in front of the ocean, his hair flying. His childlike appearance was gone, and a few tears ran at the corner of his cheeks. He turned to Alec. Alec’s heart sank when he saw the fear on the face of his little brother.

 

"Mom and Izz, I miss them. And dad, and Jace too." Max whined. 

 

"Oh Max. Dad, mom, Jace, and Izzy are here, in the house. Come on. We’re going home, please come back. Max…” Alec’s voice was broken. 

 

Tears were flowing on Alec’s face, his eyes were full of water and his cheeks were wet. And he understood that Max would not return. He was still at the water's edge, and he walked slowly forward. The waves, which were becoming increasingly violent, began to cover the small feet of Max, and the latter buried his head in his forearm, holding to wipe his tears.

 

"Max...Please..." Alec dropped to his knees. He felt helpless.

 

Max turned back to him and Alec felt his heart break in his chest. Max smiled at him, his white shirt now bloodstained. Alec looked at him with fear, seeing his hair, waxed blood too.

 

"I'm selfish, Alec. I wish mom, dad, Izzy, Jace and you...I would like you to be there with me, I want...This is bad...I..."

 

Max let tears run down his cheeks, and he turned back to Alec.

 

"Be strong, Alec. I...I'm not strong, and I never will be."

 

Alec finally found the strength to get up and raced towards his little brother to take him in his arms. Unfortunately, Max was not there, and his arms closed around nothing. He grabbed a handful of sand and began hitting the wet floor.

 

Max was before him, and he could not take him in his arms. He could not shake his little brother against him...

 

"Alec. I'm fine. I just wanted to say..."

 

A wave took Max away before he was able to finish his sentence and Alec found himself alone on the beach, hands deep in the sand, crying for his brother, before another wave would come and hit him.

 

Alexander woke up in his bed In his New York apartment, sweaty and breathless. Five years ago, today, Max was killed.

 

Alexander Lightwood, 007 for the CIA, had nightmares. An anecdote that would make several of his enemies laugh, starting with Sebastian that Alexander was eager to meet again. He rose and stood before the mirror. He looked at his scar and gently ran his fingers over it as if it had been there for a few days.

 

He sighed before heading to the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face to remove any sweat that had beaded on his face. He turned on the radio, which was rare, and let himself lead by the music of a singer he did not know whose voice was both gentle and powerful.

 

Take me to church, I'll worship like a dog in the shrine of your line, I'll tell you my sin so you can sharpen your knife...

 

Alec sighed again hearing the promised reward and cut the music before returning to his room. The bay window that was surrounding his bed gave him a magnificent view of the most beautiful corner of the city. He imagined a moment near the bay window, a glass in hand, and Magnus Bane beside him.

 

An idea touched his mind momentarily; Magnus, completely naked, facing the bay window, Alec possessing his body, making him moan and scream his name.

 

Alec coughed and cleared his throat as if someone had seen or heard his thoughts. He went to his wardrobe, and pulled out some new clothes.

 

He quickly pulled on a shirt when someone rang the front door, which was strange because not everybody could know his address, and his siblings did not even bother to knock.

 

He opened the door, his Beretta stuck between his trousers and his back, the shirt over to cover it.

 

"Yes?" Alexander stood before a man in a black suit, in quarantine, already graying hair, who handed him an envelope.

 

"My employer has informed me to give you this, Mr Lightwood,” the man told him before leaving, and all Alexander could do was staring at the man with a suspicious look.

 

The envelope did not appear to be "dangerous" but even after seven years in the CIA, he still distrusted those suspicious letters that came at his apartment. He would usually have his bills sent to the CIA’s offices, because they were paying for his loft. He had seen worse things than that, trapped letters, even a kamikaze postman one. He stopped himself before thinking about all the other scenarios. Strangely, he didn’t have a bad presentiment about that one, and he opened the envelope, finding just a note.

 

"Dear Alexander,

 

I hope you remember me...and our more than hectic night. I booked a table tonight. You and me, 8 pm, at “L’institut”. You will find the address on the back of the note.

 

See you tonight,

 

MB "

 

MB ... MB ... M ... Magnus Bane. Alexander sighed and smiled at the same time. He had in fact accepted a dinner with Magnus Bane, and he was thinking it was going to be very, very interesting.

 

Alec took his jacket lying on the coat rack in the hall and closed the door of his apartment across from Isabelle, who also closed the door to her loft. He smiled at her softly, when he saw that her eyes were bright red and wet, despite being covered by makeup. She smiled back, walked towards her brother, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

 

Alexander gently placed one of his arms on her back and the other on her head, gently stroking her hair, when he felt warm tears running on his shoulder. He managed to stay calm and he kept stroking her hair.

 

“Where is Simon, Izzy?” Alec asked as he was still hugging his sister. 

 

“Oh...Simon left early because Jace called him and I didn’t…I just wanted to stay in bed for a while.” She gracefully wiped the tears that had run on her face with a tissue and she kindly smiled at Alec.

 

“Alec. I miss him. I…I still miss him so much. I can’t…” Isabelle couldn’t find the words to describe how she felt about it. She had been there. She had been the only one with Max that day. She was supposed to protect him and she hadn’t been able to do that. And now, Max was dead. It had been five years, and she still couldn’t forgive herself for not being able to protect her little brother.

 

“Isabelle. Izzy…Look at me. I miss him too,” Alexander managed to say. He didn’t really talk about it. This was huge for him, and Izzy knew it. She gently stroke her brother’s cheek. 

 

“Ok, we don’t want to be late! Give me a ride?” Her smile was back and Alexander gently showed her the way to the elevator.

 

“If Miss Lightwood would follow me.” Alec said with a soft smile, landing her his harm. 

 

Izzy grabbed his arm and giggled a little.

 

“You know. Soon…I’ll be Mrs Lewis, and you’ll have to deal with it.” She gave her big brother a radiant smile and Alexander could feel his heart pounding in his chest. His little sister would soon be married to that lucky nerd that Simon Lewis was. But Alexander liked Simon, and he was happy that Simon had been there for Isabelle when they lost Max.

 

“For now, you’re still Isabelle Lightwood, my dear little sister, my Izzy.” 

 

They both smiled and got into the elevator as the door opened. 

 

Once arrived outside the offices of the CIA, Alexander stopped. While Isabelle looked at him strangely, she turned and clapped a hand over her mouth.

 

"Good morning, children." Robert Lightwood stood before them in one of his finest suits in navy blue linen. 

 

Alexander felt his heart break in his chest. Since the death of Max, Robert had never worn the clothes he had when he was an agent.

 

"You seem shocked. Jace did not tell you I was here?" Robert asked as he was walking towards them. 

 

Alexander regained his composure and walked quickly to his father to take him in his arms. 

 

Even if he was not the demonstrative type, his father hugged him, and he smiled fondly at Isabelle, who also came to embrace her father.

 

"Jace warned me last night when I got back from Italy." Alec answered as he broke the hug. 

 

"Italy? What were you doing in Italy?" Robert's face darkened.

 

"Oh, routine. Monitoring the signing of the agreements, although nothing serious." Alexander could be an excellent liar when it came to preserving his family. Of course he had not talked to Magnus, Jace, or Isabelle, but he was going to have to.

 

He was going to need a little help to find an outfit for tonight and only Isabelle was qualified enough for that.

 

"I see..." Robert looked relieved for a moment before looking right into his son's eyes "If something was up I can count on you to tell me, Alec?"

 

His name sounded like a violent blow in his stomach and Alexander swallowed quietly but nervously, before supporting the eyes of his father.

 

"Of course," he replied after a long silence and Robert placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. 

 

They went into the building together and Jace was there to welcome them. He began to shake Robert in his arms, and the older man hugged him back, a wide smile on his face.

 

"We missed you!" A lot more feminine voice was heard and they all turned to see Maryse, walking down the main staircase. She wore a black dress, a sadly familiar dress. It was the dress she was wearing five years ago, on the day they held Max’s funeral. She hadn’t worn it since, and Alec wondered why her mind had changed today. 

 

Maryse glanced at Jace and Alec.

 

"Boys, don’t you have something important to do before we go for lunch?" Jace winced and hurried to the elevator. They knew what Maryse was speaking about. Jace had yet to retrieve the satellite data for the exact location of Valentine and Sebastian. 

 

While the doors of the elevator were closing, Alexander slipped alongside Jace.

 

"Alec, I want a report at 11 am." Her mother sounded sad, but she remained his superior and he just managed to nod to accept the order. 

 

Alexander did not even have time to answer before the doors of the elevator closed. He sighed.

 

"Alec, I..." Jace had not even the chance to finish his sentence when Alec’s phone rang.

 

"Lightwood." Alexander expected to receive a new order of mission as it was his work phone.

 

"Your mission, and I think you should accept it, 007, is wrecking me tonight till I cannot walk straight for a week."

 

Alexander blushed suddenly.

 

"Magnus?"

 

"Magnus? Who's that? Alec?" Jace hurried to try to put his ear close to the phone and Alec had to tackle Jace’s arm on his back to stop him from being nosy.

 

"And yes, Alexander, I wanted to hear you confirming our appointment tonight."

 

"Um. Yes...It's...I'll be there."

 

"Always so eloquent. That I can see."

 

Alexander swore he heard Magnus’ spirited laugh.

 

"I...I have to go. I have work to do..."

 

"Yes, I understand. You're a busy man. The reservation is at 8 pm, but you can come home for a drink before that and maybe a little apéritif, what do you think? 6 pm? 6:30 pm?"

 

"6 pm, it's perfect."

 

"Great, I've texted you the address."

 

"Hum…Thank you. See you, Magnus."

 

When Alexander hung up, he could see Jace smirking at him.

 

“What?” He asked with his killer eyes.

 

“Oh…Nothiiing! Who’s Magnus? And more importantly… Why the hell does he want you to wreck him tonight?!”

 

“Oh god, Jace. You heard that?” 

 

“Alec, remember that Hodge made those headsets for your mission to Paris? Well, I may or may not have kept them. They’re quite useful. You should keep one too.”   
Seeing Alec’s face, Jace suddenly burst into a childish laugh that made his brother blush violently.

 

"So I heard everything. If you do not want the whole world to know that you hook up with this Magnus guy, you better tell me what's going on."

 

Alexander pulled Jace's arm again to place it above his back and Jace groaned in pain.

 

"Ow, ok ok! I didn’t ask ! Stop!"

 

With a satisfied smile, Alec dropped the arms of his brother before leaving the elevator where the doors had just opened. They walked in silence along the corridor before arriving in the office of Jace, where all the computers were on, and he sat in his chair before typing several codes and passwords.

 

"So," began Alec before pouring a cup of coffee for himself. "We know that these little sons of a bitches are hiding in Switzerland. What I would like to know is...where exactly? And more importantly, why?" He took a sip. He felt much more awake now that he had some coffee. He was watching as Jace was typing, so fast that Alec was still impressed. It had been years since he and Jace had joined the CIA, but Jace had always been the most talented with all the technology and computer related missions. He had always been able to rely on Jace when he needed to track something or someone.

 

"I Can at least answer the question of where. As for the other question, unfortunately I have no idea. Serve me a coffee please, no sugar, or I’m going to fall asleep on this desk, I swear."

 

"I'm not your maid. You pour your own coffee. I have to see Izzy, and I want a full report by lunch."

 

"Well, at least we know nothing has changed since yesterday, and I finally know their precise location. However, you must wait at least 24 hours for my stalking software to develop, otherwise we’d risk losing the location."

 

Alexander got up and grabbed his jacket before heading to the hall. He turned and spoke to Jace calmly but authoritatively.

 

"Jace, bring together all the information you have. You resume it after lunch with Izzy and then give a full report to Mrs Herondale before tonight. I want the mission order tomorrow morning on my desk. Got it? I will not let Valentine slip through my hands again. "

 

"Alec..."

 

"We have lunch in an hour. Do not waste any time. I'll see Izzy, and then I'll see mom to tell her of what has already been found. See you later."

 

Jace could see and feel the anger and the will of his brother, and he just shook his head as Alexander had already left the office. He began typing on his keyboard as fast as he could, taking another sip of his coffee simultaneously.

 

While in the elevator, Alexander took his phone and hesitated to send a text message to Magnus to cancel their appointment. Instead of that...

 

11:11 sent: I'm looking forward to tonight.

 

His phone buzzed almost immediately.

 

11:12 received: Me too Alexander. How's work?

 

11:12 sent: I cannot really talk with you about...my job.

 

11:13 received: Too bad, I was trying to infiltrate the premises of the CIA!

 

Alec smiled and before he could answer another message arrived.

 

11:13 received: Well...To be honest, it's in the pants of a CIA agent, that I’d like to see myself infiltrate.

 

Alec blushed violently before receiving another message.

 

11:13 received: What are you wearing?

 

11:14 sent: Magnus! I'm in an elevator! And...are you trying to SEXT with me?

 

11:14 received: All elevators have a “stop” button you know.

 

11:14 sent: Magnus…

 

Alexander pressed the “stop” button and the elevator stopped, light shutting before the emergency lights went on, barely giving enough light to Alexander to see his feet.

 

11:15 sent: 15 minutes.

 

Magnus replied almost immediately.

 

11:15 received: What are you wearing Alexander?

 

11:15 sent: My black linen suit.

 

11:15 received: Sexy, as always. I would take off that jacket, then this jacket. Alexander, I like your body, and I'd love to be in that elevator with you. You can imagine I suppose? Kneel before you, begging for your cock in my mouth.

 

Alexander had already unbuttoned 3 buttons of his shirt and began to pass his hand over his chest, stopping briefly at each nipple. He could well imagine Magnus kneeled before him, and Alec began to slide his hand in his pants, stopping at his boxer briefs. A new message.

 

11:16 received: Touching yourself already?

 

Before he was able to answer his phone rang and the name of Magnus flashed, and Alec took the call immediately.

 

"Magnus Bane...I swear you are the worst of all!"

 

Alexander heard Magnus laugh at the other end of the phone before hearing him moan. Alec already had his hand around his growing erection, he needed only one word from Magnus to start the back and forth.

 

“Alexander, I did not know you were so dirty. A real slut, moaning to me on the phone, I like that!”

 

"Shut up, Magnus! Hnnn ..."

 

Alec could almost feel the hot breath of Magnus on his neck.

 

"Oh darling, I bet you imagine me leaving breathy kisses on your throat, on your collar bones, on the top of your chest where your shirt is a little open. I open the other buttons if you have no chance I will tear your shirt and see in the state I am...I will tear it without hesitation."

 

Alexander was panting against the cool wall of the elevator, and continued the back-and-forth motion, just concentrating on the voice of Magnus, who purred in his ear.

 

"Magnus...I'm..."

 

"Oh no you're not, not yet. I will go down slowly to your belt. I am very good with my fingers, you know, so your little belt will not last long and will slip under my fingers, before I get to my knees and then I take you, already so hard, in my mouth. Oh Alexander, your moans give me chills...I'm almost there."

 

Alexander could hear Magnus’ breathing accelerate, and his moans became louder, and he increased his speed. He was close, he knew he was waiting for a sign from Magnus.

 

"Alexander...Do you want me on my knees for you?"

 

"Mag...Magnus, do not be a tease. Of course I want you! I want..."

 

Before Alec could continue, Magnus took the lead, moaning and panting, giving all the reasons for Alec to come.

 

"After I got you in my mouth, you take me violently against the wall of the elevator. Oh god, Alexander, you’re so strong...Thrusting harder, faster, faster...Faster, Alexander!"

 

Alexander could not hold back any longer, and he growled before getting carried away by his orgasm. He heard Magnus moaning too and sighing before speaking again.

 

"Well, Alexander, you never cease to amaze me."

 

"Well...I have to go before they realize the elevator is blocked, or I'll be in trouble, and I still have a meeting right now. I'll come to your room at 6."

 

He hung up directly before getting dressed and back to his senses. He had to breathe several times before turning the machine on. When the doors of the elevator opened on Alexander, still out of breath and red as a poppy, he came face to face with Maryse, looking angry.

 

"Alec! It's been 30 minutes. I’ve been looking you. What were you doing?"

 

"Oh...The elevator had a little…I mean…a...little trouble? Besides, I was with Jace before. And please…For heaven's sake I've already told you not to call me that!"

 

Maryse froze. Alexander was a fairly quiet person and never raised his voice as hard as he had just now. His eyes showed only anger and he recoiled violently when Maryse put a hand on his shoulder. For five years, he had never wanted her to touch him, at all, no contact between them.

 

"Alec..."

 

It was too much. Too long Alexander had kept all his feelings inside him, for five years, since the death of Max. He decided to move to her side, trying to avoid her eyes. He knew that this was going to end badly.

 

"Talk to me, Alec." Maryse almost ordered as she was acting like a superior, and not a mother.

 

Alexander stopped and turned back to throw a glance filled with hate to Maryse. He returned to place a few centimeters between them, fists clenched, trembling. It was not because of his mother’s coldness or because of his anger towards her, it was not anger, at least, it was rage.

 

"Talk to you? What do you want to talk about?" Alec almost spat. "You mention the pain we all felt that day when Max died, but did you mention that Isabelle was left alone as she was bleeding to death, that dad was plunged into silence and that Jace has tortured himself with it for two years?”

 

Maryse was not moving, her face frozen while watching Alec open his shirt to show his scar.

 

"Isabelle and I have kept some unpleasant memories of that day.” Alec felt his scar burning, and he couldn’t help but put a hand and grabbed his side. “And where were you in the story? While Max was...When...He's gone! Jace came directly with Clary and Simon...and you...you, you were quietly in Ibiza with that asshole! While Max was bleeding to death, you, you were having a good time with another guy. You were supposed to be home, WITH MAX, but no, you were not there..."

 

"Alexander," Maryse finally managed to say.

 

"No...After that, Isabelle fell into depression for almost three years. She was lucky Simon was there or she would have never recovered. She still feels guilty because she was the one with Max that day! And when we all came back to work, how did you show your support? By making me crawl under paperwork, cancelling all my important missions for almost a year!" Alec emphasized the last words, he was now almost yelling at his mother. “Do you really think that locking me up here like so kind of prisoner would make me feel better? Tell me, Maryse, do you?”

 

Maryse froze as Alec, her son, her eldest, called her like she was just a stranger to him. 

 

"I wanted to protect you...You were not around for new missions...You were too angry." Maryse said, looking at her son with few tears at the corner of her eyes.

 

Maryse soften her voice, she was acting like a mother, after all those years where Alec had craved for some Motherly attention. 

 

"And you weren’t …Not enough." Alec spat, his gaze filled with anger. 

 

"What do you wanted me to do, Alec?" Maryse remain calm, even if she could feel her heart breaking into her chest. 

 

Alec...Alec again. He was sick of this. Isabelle could call him Alec, Jace could, and Max used to call him like this too. 

 

“Maybe acting like a mother? Instead of letting us go through that all alone? Do I need to remind you that you were not seen for three months after Max’s death, not once did you come home!”

 

"Because you think it was not difficult enough for me. I lost a child!" Maryse finally raises her voice.

 

"WHAT ABOUT US... WE WEREN’T LOST?" Alec couldn’t stay calm anymore, and he raised his voice so loud he could hear it echoed in the building. 

 

Alexander felt the eyes of all the other employees and agents on them. They had managed to remain discreet, but it was too late. Everyone had heard. Alec closed his eyes and clenched his fists again, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. He had not cried for five years, he would not cry today.

 

"You lost a child that day? You know what I lost? I lost my little brother. I lost my father who immersed himself in silence for several months after the death of his son and his divorce. I lost a bit of my little sister whom I saw fight depression. I lost my brother and my best friend when he began to blame himself for having accepted a mission instead of taking care of Max. And where were you? Having a good time with some other guy, when we were all mourning! Don’t try to make me believe you have lost something!"

 

Maryse stared at Alec with eyes filled with tears. She clapped a hand over her mouth and he realized that perhaps he had gone too far. He tried to open his mouth again when a slap hit him suddenly. It was not violent but Alec felt it like it was a punch. And he did not respond. After all he surely deserved it.

 

"Alec...I" Maryse put her hand on Alec's cheek, and he did not move this time.

 

"We all lost him that day." Alec finally whispered. Turning away from Maryse.

 

He gently pushed the hand of his mother before leaving in the direction of Isabelle’s office and he stopped short when he saw his sister with a baby in her arms. She smiled, but Alec could see some tears beading in the corner of her eyes. Simon was with her, cradling her in his arms and smiling at the little thing that Isabelle was holding.

 

Alec walked slowly and Isabelle turned her head toward him. She smiled at him and gently gestured him to come closer. Then, his sister placed the little bundle of blankets in his hands and did not leave Alec’s side while he began to gently bounce the baby.

 

"Alexander, meet your future nephew, Matthew Lightwood-Lewis."

 

"Hey little Matt!" Alexander smiled back while Matthew was starting to fidget.

 

"Alec, we wondered with Isabelle...Well...If you would accept to…Oh god, I..." Simon scratched the back of his head. He had something to say, and Alec was amused by his reaction. After all these years, Simon had not changed. He had exactly the same mannerism that he had when he had asked his advice on how to woo Isabelle.

 

"Spit it out, Lewis. I have lunch in a few minutes, and we still have work to do."

 

Simon smiled fondly before asking Alec if he would accept to be Matthew’s godfather, the godfather of the child they had just adopted. 

 

“Wait? What? Whoa, of course!” Alexander smiled at little Matthew before starting to bounce him gently till he fell asleep again, so he could place him in his mother’s arms.

 

“Hey Matthew,” Isabelle said softly with a motherly look on her face. “We love you, Matthew. You’re going to be loved, and we’ll take care of you, and we will protect you,” she nearly whispered the last words as she kissed the baby on his forehead. 

 

Alexander was looking at her with a broken smile. He knew she was still flagellating herself about Max’s death, and she would die of sadness if something was to happen to baby Matthew. But Alexander sworn to himself he’ll protect his nephew. He promised it in Max’s memory.

 

"Let's have lunch. You must present this young man to the rest of the family, Grandpa Robert, Uncle Jace, Aunt Clary."

 

Alexander was not surprised that Isabelle did not mention their mother. Isabelle had once told him that when she had discussed adoption with her mother, she had stated that if Isabelle would adopt a child, she would not consider it as her grandchild.

 

Alexander again took Matthew in his arms, while Isabelle and Simon prepared a bag with a few things, diapers, bottles, towels, spare clothes. Alexander smiled.

 

"You really need all that?"

 

Isabelle and Simon answered together that a baby required a lot of attention, and diapers, and milk. Alexander laughed again, walking with Matthew in his arms to the private restaurant the CIA staff usually held their meetings or business dinners, but today they had privatized it for a lunch in honor of Robert’s return.

 

When Alec entered the room, Matthew in his arms, Clary and Jace threw themselves on him for who would take the baby first. And so it was that Clary had the honor of holding him first because it was she who had agreed to be the godmother of Matthew.

 

Jace was the second to take Matthew in his arms and Simon gave him the bottle during lunch that took place rather quietly.

 

Maryse arrived late and sat near Robert. She avoided the eyes of Alexander, who hardly seemed to care.

 

The meal took place in a generally good mood. Even Maryse sketched some smiles to some jokes. Simon also agreed to take Matthew in his arms although the latter immediately began to cry. Jace and Clary laughed but the baby calmed down as soon as Maryse took him and hummed him a lullaby.

 

This lullaby, they all knew that it was a French lullaby she sang to them when they were all children, and that was the one Max had preferred. Alexander found himself smiling at Maryse, and this one gave him a warm smile, the smile of a mother to her child. Lunch came to an end and Jace swallowed his profiteroles, before sighing happily, and exclaim that he would take a nap.

 

Alexander got up first and put his hand on Jace’s shoulder.

 

"Sorry to destroy your nap cravings, but we have a job, partner!" Alec said as Jace was lying on the table, almost asleep.

 

"Arrrghghglglglg" Was all Alexander could understand, among the various exclamations of Jace.

 

They headed back to Jace’s office where new information was waiting for them, or at least that’s what they thought. When they entered Jace’s computer lab, all the screens were bright red and a thousands of lines of codes were running on the screens. 

 

Jace simply muttered a simple “shit” before running to sit at his desk, typing faster than ever, at least faster than Alec had ever seen him. He was swearing over and over. 

 

“Alec, run to the central and if I tell you, you cut the power. Do you understand? Go, go now!”  
Alec started running toward the next door, so he could reach the corridor leading to the central computer room. 

 

Once in the room, Alexander heard the door slam behind him as he headed toward the piles of cables and mechanisms that run all the different technologies of local CIA.

 

Alexander stopped in front of the control panel and dialed Jace number. This one immediately answered.

 

"Herondale." Jace answered with his usual sexy voice.

 

"Jace, I am before the control panel, but there is something strange. The system does not appear damaged. I see no hacking trace on the monitor. What you think, it might be a hoax? " Alec answered as he was walking towards the huge generator at the center of the room.

 

"A hoax? What do you mean by..." Jace did not finish the sentence and spoke several expletives before exclaiming a victorious cry, and resumed, "Alec, I managed to neutralize the virus. I should be able to recover the data in a few minutes, but I still need you to restart the control system so that I can make my update for data recovery. You cut the system, but you will restart it as soon as possible. You understand? " Jace sounded calm but tense. 

 

"Jace, thank you, I already did that," Alexander sighed before turning off the system, leaving it in complete darkness. He pressed the restart button, horrified to see that nothing happened. He pushed it again, and again, but it still wasn’t working.

 

"Alec, why isn’t it working already? Tell me you didn’t turn the power on yet?"

 

Alec pushed the button over and over again and nothing happened. He felt a presence there with him in the room. CIA offices infiltration is impossible for someone from the outside, but for a professional, only a few seconds can be enough. Internal security having been cut, it's as easy as a fox into a henhouse when the farmer is not there.

 

Then Alexander almost dropped his phone as he realized what it really was. It wasn’t a virus to provide them to find Valentine’s real hidden place, it was a distraction. The virus was all about shutting the power down so the CIA would be vulnerable. It was predicted, and Alexander knew what it was about. He swallowed before he could talk again. 

 

"Jace, tell me you have a way to restore power other than with the control panel. Please." Alec started to panic, as he knew that without the power on, the whole building was vulnerable.

 

Jace sighed at the other end. Alexander could almost see the enthusiasm from scratching the back of his head, looking for a solution, before he gave a little cry of surprise.

 

"Yes! The restoration by satellite. Well, It's much more complex and I'm going to do it with my phone, so it'll take me forever!" Jace sounded confident with his idea, but it didn’t helped Alec to relax.

 

"HOW LONG?" Alexander was beginning to lose patience. He went directly to the door of the room only to realize that it was, of course, double-locked.

 

"I know what to do, Alec! In the simulation I managed to do it in seven minutes, a record if I may brag." Hearing Alec sigh he immediately resumed, "Normally, you can do it in three minutes, but it's almost impossible, even with my innate talent. I guess I can try in five minutes, but it will be hard." Jace managed to finally finished his sentence. 

 

"Do it in four and I swear I..." Alexander did not have time to finish his sentence as he felt himself grabbed and pushed back by a force he could neither see nor hear. It violently hit a cable upstream and found himself completely tangled in them.

 

"I must admit, Lightwood, I am very disappointed. I must confess that I thought you would have understood much earlier. Coming in this room alone, and especially not armed.. Ah a rookie mistake." A voice echoed in the shadow. 

 

Alexander chuckled as he recognized that filthy voice, as melodious as that of a rattlesnake.

 

"Sebastian, my dear Sebastian. You can’t live without me, apparently." Alec laughed almost like he was pleased to hear his old enemy. 

 

Sebastian also sneered before landing a violent kick in Alec's ribs. He knocked several times before stopping a few moments. Alexander could feel the taste of blood in his mouth, his vision was completely blurred, only the light of his phone still on bringing him a little light, but not enough to be able to lead a fight blindly.

 

"Oh my poor little Lightwood, so miserable in my mercy. I could kill you so easily but where would be the fun in that?" Sebastian laughed and Alec could feel the bile coming up in his throat. 

 

Alexander was finally able to rise, his ribs burned and he had a little trouble breathing but the pain remained bearable, which surprised him. Once again he realized it was a hoax, an illusion, to distract from the real threat, the real threat was...

 

"Valentine." Alec whispered.

 

He felt a new punch to cause a falling upon him, and he spat a stream of blood on the ground. He surely had a little dislocated jaw after the blow. He could still get up, and threw a random punch that went nestled right into the abdomen of Sebastian. This one gave a little cry of pain before sighing.

 

"I do not even want to applaud you. Even your little brother would have understood faster than you." Sebastian said, an invisible smirk on his face that Alec could pictures very clearly.

 

In his words, Alexander lost his temper. He threw himself on what seemed like Sebastian, and he began to hit.

 

His fists began to hurt, as most of his hits struck the ground instead of Sebastian, and the latter continued to laugh until finally, the lights returned. Alec found himself on the ground, striking a now unconscious Sebastian. He heard the click of the door opening again and grabbed a gun in the jacket of Sebastian. He rushed out of the room.

 

He raced as fast as he could through the halls, he arrived in the main corridor, where his parents’ offices were. He noticed with horror that several bodies lay on the ground, all dead, shot for the most part. Alexander didn’t know which door to open first.

 

He heard a thud coming from the office of his father and rushed inside.

 

Before him, was Valentine, in a red linen suit, reflecting his demonic attitude. He was pointing a gun at the head of his father and Alexander felt the rage rising.

 

"Get away from my father immediately!" Alec warn him.

 

Valentine turned a dreadful smile on his face, and he approached Alexander. This one took a step back. It was the first time he saw Valentine, he was definitely impressive.

 

"Alec...Go away!" His father’s voice seemed broken. Whatever Valentine might have said to him, it had caused more injuries than anything.

 

Alexander looked with great sadness before he felt a punch in his jaw which immediately put him down. He spat a new torrent of blood prior to pressing a hand against his nose, which also was bleeding.

 

"Ah, you are indeed the son of your father. You let yourself be distracted by your emotions, but one day you'll end up like your dear father. Incapable to kill the man you hate the most." With these words Valentine bent down to grab a handful of Alec’s hair and forced him to his feet.

 

"Ah, it bothers me to kill a boy as cute as you, to be honest, but I’d tell you that I am returning a favor." Valentine said, a vicious smirk on his face. 

 

When the barrel of the revolver rested on his forehead, Alexander closed his eyes and thought one last time of Max, Izzy, and Jace, his parents...Magnus.

 

A shot rang out and Alec felt no pain. He opened his eyes to see that Valentine was holding his hand, which had been shot through by a bullet, which showed an expression of pain.

 

"You...little bitch!" Valentine spat as he was holding his hand.

 

Alec turned to see that Isabelle was standing in the doorway, a revolver in her hand, eyes shining with sadness. Anger reflected on her face. 

 

“Oh you won’t hurt any of my brothers! I wasn’t strong enough to protect Max, I won’t let you kill another one! It’s your last day on earth, Valentine!” Izzy affirmed, the gun in her hand. She wasn’t even shaking. 

 

Before she could pull the trigger again, Valentine smiled and smoke gas spread through the room immediately.

 

Alexander rushed for Isabelle and caught her arm, pulling her so she was against him and his father. The smoke dissipated after a few moments. Valentine was gone and with him, presumably Sebastian. Alec spat again a stream of blood prior to collapsing on the ground, letting the darkness possessing his body, and dragging him into a blurry and dreary slumber. 

 

"Alec, Alec wake up, please." A little voice rung to his ears.

 

Alec woke to the sound of a small voice perched above his bed.

 

"Max?" Alec questioned. But of course it was Max. He could still recognized his voice.

 

Alec rose from his bed. Again he was dressed all in white, as his little brother. He came to find out that Max was already in the doorway, his mischievous smile was heartbreaking to Alec whenever he saw him.

 

Alec walked over to the door to realize that once opened, they were in a large poppy field.

 

"Poppies!" Max yelled happily.

 

Max ran joyfully through the flowers, small bright strands of hair fluttered in contact with the spring breeze.

 

"We are in autumn. None of this is true," Alec repeated to himself. While trying in vain to wake up, he felt a small hand grab his.

 

"Alec, come play with me." Max said. He was still smiling.

 

Alec wondered when in this dream Max was going to realize that his big brother was not going to stay with him, and he felt his heart sink in his chest. Alec grabbed Max's hand and pressed it hard against his heart.

 

"Max, I cannot play with you." Alec muttered.

 

Max frowned and Alec felt the gentle spring sun turn into a cold and cloudy sky. He could swear he was feeling the rain on his body, cold and soaking his clothes. 

 

"But why?" Max sounded so disappointed, Alec felt his heart tightening in his chest.

 

Max pulled away from Alec and the latter tried to get closer, but without success. He could not move.

 

"Max! Max! No, I..." Alec couldn’t manage to finish his sentence. 

 

Restrained, the words stuck in Alec’s throat and this one was trying to struggle to join his brother, who looked at him with this sad expression. He knew very well that pout Max did when Alec did not have time to play with him.

 

"Stay with me, Alec. It is useless to leave. You’ll come back here soon." Max’s voice had changed. It seemed darker and older. 

 

Alec looked at Max with confusion. What did his brother mean by that?

 

"It's only a matter of time, Alec." Max warned him, his childish voice was gone. This was the voice of an adult that was talking to him, and he couldn’t recognize it. 

 

Suddenly Alec woke with a start to realize that he was still on the floor of his father's office. He got up immediately.

 

"Alec, are you ok?" Isabelle said. She and Robert were leaning over him, looking worried.

 

"Yes, I think...How long was I unconscious?" Alec asked, trying to get back on his feet.

 

"A few seconds, maybe," Robert replied. "Alec, I'm so sorry. It's my fault you..."

 

"Dad," Alec immediately cut him off. "This is in no way your fault. If there are any faults, it is Jace’s and mine. We tried to track Valentine...We learned that he was in Switzerland. We managed to get the exact data, but..." Alec retailed his sentences so quickly that no one really understood the sequence of events.

 

Robert put his hand on his son’s shoulder before nodding, leaving Alec calmly to finish his story.

 

"We got a virus that paralyzed the entire computer system. Jace and I wanted to restore power in the control room, but the generator was not restarting. We thought it was a technical problem before I was attacked by Sebastian. "

 

As he finished his story his phone rang.

 

"Lightwood." Alec answered, gravely. 

 

"Always so dour when you pick up, darling." Magnus voice echoed in his ear and Alec could have sworn Magnus was laughing. 

 

"Oh, I'm sorry, I..." Alec cleared his throat before continuing. "Can I help you?" 

 

"Yes. You're late, Alexander." Magnus chuckled. 

 

Alec looked at the clock with horror to realize that it was already past 6 pm.

 

"I'm sorry, really sorry. I’ll change and come!" Alec said as we was hurrying toward the exit.

 

Robert and Isabelle looked at Alec with dread as he stood.

 

"Jace will explain. I need to change. I have a business dinner tonight." Of course Alec lied. He needed to see Magnus. Of course he could have canceled to rest, taking some time so he could heal his ribs, although they weren’t broken.

 

But drinking a whole bottle of vodka alone at home tonight, this perspective was not really one he preferred.

 

"Isabelle, can you do a damage report for me? I want it to be the first thing on my desk tomorrow morning. They’ve had only a very little timing to get here, I guess it was only the two of them. Although the premises were vulnerable, we are still better equipped than anyone. And it was dad they wanted, so they did not need to have more people. Dad, speaking of you, tonight you’ll remain at Isabelle and Simon’s. It is the safest place for you. Not your hotel." Alec took his phone from his pocket once again. "The security settings have been restored. Jace just texted me we still have seven men wounded, and four of our agents were found dead in the small alley behind the building, security agents it seems. Valentine and Sebastian made quite a mess, and it was only the two of them.” Alec sighed before finishing quickly what he wanted to say. “I'll be there tomorrow morning. You can reach me in case of an emergency."

 

Agent Lightwood was back. He headed for the exit.

 

***

 

Alec arrived in front of Magnus’ after being deposed by a taxi. The building seemed luxurious and much larger than the one Alec lived in.

 

He pressed the buzzer and waited a few seconds before Magnus answered.

 

"Unless you're my amazing hot date who’s going to rip me into pieces, make me become a moaning mess in my own bed until I cannot take a step, I suggest you leave."

Alec could not help letting out a laugh.

 

"Fortunately for you, it’s me indeed. I can’t imagine if it had not been me, though."

 

Magnus laughed and pushed the button that unlocked the door immediately, and Alec pushed the door, and entered the vast building's lobby, that looked like a hotel’s. 

 

Many chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling that seemed too high for Alec. He allowed himself a few seconds to be impressed before meeting a doorman at the elevator.

 

"Mr Bane awaits you, 52nd floor, but the elevator only goes up to 50th so you will have to continue on foot."

 

Alexander entered the elevator, thinking of their little messages that morning, smiling to himself, thinking of that night with Magnus, and it was promising.

 

He arrived much earlier than expected on the 50th floor and was drawn from his reverie by the "ding" of the elevator.

 

Alec easily found the stairs and climbed them four at a time before ending up at the door of Magnus’ apartment. This one was waiting in the corridor, a glass in hand and a devilishly handsome smile on his face.

 

"You're late, Mr Lightwood. I was beginning to get impatient. I thought you weren’t going to show up."

 

Alec was embarrassed. He could definitively not tell Magnus what had happened at the office today.

 

"We had some complications...at work. I had to leave late, I’m very sorry Magnus," he improvised.

 

"I understand. You're a busy man."

 

Alec smiled as Magnus gave him a cup filled with a transparent green liquid, a green apple slice deposited in the corner of the glass.

 

"You can confirm that I won’t pass out if I drink this, right?"

 

Magnus laughed again before taking a sip of his cocktail. Alec following him, took a big gulp of his drink, almost finishing it. 

 

"Apple Martini...This is not the same apple as in Snow White’s story. You can go, but if you abuse it, yes you will fall in apples, but..."

 

“Would you give me a true love’s kiss then?” Alec cut him off, and smiled teasingly. 

 

Magnus grabbed Alec's tie in order to attract him inside his apartment.

 

Alec did not resist and laughed, while Magnus, once the door closed, rushed to his lips, pinning him against the door, and started nipping at his neck, leaving some hickeys and a few soft kisses all over his jaw.

 

“I don’t do love, Alexander.” Magnus had some aggression in his voice, it wasn’t something that he was used to. 

 

“Then I’ll just give you a true fuck’s kiss,” Alexander said before grabbing Magnus’ wrist to change their positions so Alec was now pressed against Magnus, who was now pressed against the door. 

 

“Do I need to remind you that we have a reservation in…45 minutes at a restaurant which is a bit far away from here, Alexander?” Magnus was grinning despite his complaint.

 

“What about a quickie and then we call a cab to go?” Alexander winked to him before starting to undo Magnus’ belt buckle. This one didn’t move as Alec was lowering himself so he could be on his knees.

 

“Ah…Alexander, what will I do with you?” Magnus chuckled as Alec was running his hands on Magnus’s hips.

 

Alec lowered Magnus’s pants and underwear so they revealed Magnus’ hardness, and he smirked when Magnus moaned as he grabbed his lover’s ass cheeks in his hands. 

 

Magnus began to tug his hands in Alec’s hair and started pulling, guiding the young agent so he could just take Magnus in his mouth already. But Alec decided he would do it differently, so he started teasing and licking at the tip of Magnus’ already hard cock, before this one was pulling harder, making Alec smirk. 

 

“So greedy,” Alec sighed before taking Magnus full in his mouth.

 

Magnus jerked his head and moaned Alec’s name before massaging the hair he had pulled so hard few seconds ago. 

 

But Alexander said he was going for a quickie, and a quickie it would be. 

 

He suddenly left Magnus’ hardened cock with an obscene pop before he wiped the small amount of drool and pre-cum that was flowing at the corner of his mouth. As he was getting up, Magnus got out of his pants and underwear as Alexander was unbuckling his belt so he could free his own erection.

 

As soon as they were both half naked and panting against each other, Alexander pushed Magnus before holding him and laying him on the nearest surface. So in no time Magnus was lying on the kitchen counter, legs spread open, feet resting on Alec’s shoulders.

 

Alexander didn’t have any lube, so he simply put two fingers in his own mouth, licking them very sensually, interweaving his tongue, twirling it around his digits so he could tease Magnus a bit. When his lover was squirming before him, he started teasing his hole with his slick fingers before pushing inside him, playfully avoiding his sweet spot on purpose. When Magnus started complaining he twisted his fingers and hit his prostate right away.

 

“Alexander…You’re such a tease,” Magnus breathed between his moans. 

 

Alexander smirked before rolling a condom on his erection. He was always prepared, so he had bought a box of condoms earlier that morning before heading to work. 

 

“And you’re such an impatient man, Magnus!” 

 

Alec bent over Magnus, leaving some kisses on his perfect and hairless chest as he started pushing into his lover. 

 

He was rewarded with Magnus’ hands coming around his shoulders, pulling him closer as he started to move.

 

“Faster…Harder… Ah…Alexander,” was all Magnus was able to say as his precious agent was pounding harder and faster as he was told. 

 

Alexander started losing his mind, with rougher and more erratic thrusts, grunting at every hip movement Magnus was making, sending him over the edge at each of his thrusts. 

 

“Magnus…Nggh…” 

 

Alexander was already close so he run his free hand on Magnus’ chest, the other too busy to keep him still on the kitchen counter. Then he began to gently twist one of Magnus nipples in his hand, licking and sucking at the other. 

 

“Ale…Alexander…Ah…Sto…I’m…I’m clo…” Magnus stifled a scream when Alec reached between his legs to gently caress his hardened cock, and began stroking him, with a gentle back-and-forth at first, and when he was at his limits, he started going faster.

 

Magnus almost cried Alexander’s name as Magnus came all over their chests, clenching around Alec’s cock which he couldn’t resist any longer so he came hard after few more thrusts. 

 

He laid himself on Magnus for a few seconds before Magnus began stroking his air.

 

“Alexander, we have 3 minutes to get dressed, call a cab, and get to this restaurant.” Magnus remind him, as he was still laying on the marble counter.

 

Alec was panting, trying to regain his breath.

 

“Oh shit,” was the only thing he could say before getting on his feet, ruffling his hair, and putting his pants on. 

 

***

 

“So Alexander, tell me, how did you…You know, join the gang, as we say?” Magnus said as he was holding his glass of white wine in his hand, gracefully playing with it. 

 

Alexander sipped a small gulp of his Monbazillac before he found a way to answer.

 

“Well, my whole family has been in the business, starting with my father. So as soon as we were able to learn what we had to learn with my siblings, we started our training.” Alec explained as he was emptying his glass, that was filled right away by a waiter. 

 

Magnus seemed kind of impressed, Alexander couldn’t really tell.

 

“You mean your siblings are also working with you?” Magnus seemed curious. 

 

“Well, yeah…” Alec ate another piece of his Tournedos Rossini before he continued, “Starting with my mom, she is, uhm, VP of the company. Then my brother Jace, and my sister Isabelle. My father left five years ago, and…my baby brother Max, he…He wanted to be part of it too.”

 

“Are your siblings doing the same thing as you do?” Magnus seemed way too interested in Alec’s life. Alec was a bit uncomfortable, but he felt like it was safe to talk to Magnus. “Why did little Max change his mind?”

 

“Uhm…No, Jace is an informatician, kind of. Izzy used to but… she…She had an accident and she started working as my assistant a few years ago. As for Max, hum…He didn’t change his mind. He died before he could even start his training. He was so small, such a little boy compared to Jace or me at his age…”

 

Magnus seemed sad to hear Alec’s story, so he ran a hand to cup Alec’s cheek, and fondly smiled at him.

 

“I’m truly sorry about your brother, Alexander.”

 

Alec couldn’t do anything but smile as the desert, an enormous “moelleux au chocolat” was put on their table, only one plate, but with two spoons.

 

Magnus started to collect some whipped cream in his spoon and brought it near Alec’s mouth. The Lightwood boy seemed surprised, and Magnus was even more surprised when this one opened his mouth, licking and swallowing the cream sensually.

 

“Hmm…That’s heavenly! I didn’t know French food was so good. First the garlic stuffed snails, and the Tournedos we had before this huge plate of cheese, and now this…So…Good” 

 

Alec licked a bit of cream that was remaining at the corner of his lips and he saw that Magnus was looking at him with lustful eyes. 

 

“You like what you see?” Alec smirked at him, biting his bottom lip, teasing Magnus once again.

 

“I’ll like it even more when you’ll do that in my bed while I’ll be riding you.” Magnus sipped a bit of his wine before he looked back at Alec that was blushing a deep red.

 

“Magnus…You…I mean…Hmm…” 

 

Magnus laughed even more. How could this man that had fucked him roughly on his kitchen counter be blushing like this?

 

“What can I say darling, I’m deep in the gutter!”

 

Alec just smiled as they were finishing the last of their dishes. 

 

***

 

When they entered Magnus’ apartment it didn’t take long before he and Magnus were lying in Magnus' bed, battling for dominance as they were rolling on the satin sheets.

 

One time Alexander was on top, nipping at Magnus’ neck, teasing his nipples by twisting them gently, pulling on them a bit harder. Then he started going lower, putting some light kisses all over his body, before leaving a huge hickey on Magnus’ thigh. 

 

Another time, Magnus was on top, on his knees, panting and moaning as he was stroking both of their hard cocks. Eventually Alec would continue playing with his nipples to tease him even more.

 

When Alexander felt that he was close, he flipped them again so he could lower himself, and lick all around Magnus’ navel, teasing him with his tongue before he would lick all the strain of pre-cum on Magnus’ erection. 

 

All of a sudden, he took Magnus in his mouth, for the second time that night. 

 

“Wow, two blow jobs in one night! I’m such a lucky man.” 

 

Alec hummed in approval as Magnus was tugging his hand in his messy raven hair. 

 

When he felt that Magnus was close, Alec let go of his dear lover’s cock to open the drawer and find a condom and a bottle of lube. 

 

Magnus took advantage of Alec’s moment of absence to flip them over again, so he was on top of Alec now. 

 

“Magnus what…” Alexander started but Magnus cut him off with a rough kiss, licking on Alec’s bottom lip so this one instinctively parted his lips to let Magnus’ tongue slip in his mouth. Gasping for air as they were battling for dominance, Alec felt Magnus grabbing the condom and the lube and Alec jerked when he heard Magnus opening the bottle.

 

“Relax, Alexander. I’m not going to do that. Remember what I said back at the restaurant?”

 

“I’ll like it even more when you’ll do that in my bed, while I’ll be riding you…”

 

All Alec could do was mimicking an “Oh” with his lips as Magnus began to roll the condom on Alec, stroking him with some lube, before he positioned himself, lowering his body so he could take Alec inside him. 

 

He was still a little sore after their quickie just before going out, but he didn’t really care. Alec ran his hands on Magnus’ body, starting with his shoulders and then running them until they could rest on Magnus’ hips, guiding and increasing his speed. 

 

“Fuck…Magnus…” Alexander was groaning and panting as Magnus was riding him fast and hard. 

 

“Magnus, slow down…I’m gonna…Ah!” Alec didn’t even have the time to finish his sentence. Magnus grabbed his dick and started stroking himself, still rolling his hips. 

 

As Magnus screamed Alec’s name, he knew that the man was as close as he was, so he started rolling his hips, joining Magnus’ movements as they became a moaning mess together. 

 

Magnus came first, Alec following just a few thrusts after, as Magnus collapsed on his torso, his hot breath caressing Alec’s chest hair. 

 

“That was…Oh god…” He couldn’t even find a word to describe how he was feeling at that moment. He could have sworn he saw stars as his climax hit him. 

 

“I know, it was great for me too.”

 

Magnus got out of the bed, leaving Alexander still panting on the strained sheets. 

 

“Where are you going?” Alexander asked. He was still aroused as his lover was waving his hips and opening the bedroom’s door.

 

“Going to clean that mess,” He said as he showed his body, coated with their cum. “Care to join me?” 

 

Alec’s member gave a twitch at the idea of showering with Magnus.

 

Magnus chuckled when he noticed that and Alec’s cheeks turned a deep red. But he still managed to get out of bed and follow Magnus to the bathroom.

 

***

 

Magnus’ bathroom was huge, and bright, even if there was no window. It was covered with blue and white tiles that reminded Alec of his parents’ holiday home that he loved so when Max was still alive.

 

"Alexander?" Magnus interrupted his thoughts.

 

Alec turned to Magnus who looked at him with a look both sad and worried.

 

"It's okay." Alexander realized something.

 

"Magnus."

 

"Alexander?"

 

"Kiss Me." Alec almost hurried, his voice filled with needs.

 

Magnus looked at Alec with googly eyes. That wasn’t a normal kiss Alec wanted. He wanted more, he wanted something Magnus could not give him. He certainly did not expect that. His heart jumped in his chest and he shook his head before disappearing into the huge glass shower. He couldn’t do that. He felt like he was going to harm Alexander enough. How could he? 

 

He turned on the water, it was not too cold and not too hot. He started thinking about how awful his life was, how awful his job was…How Alexander would suffer when he would know the truth about him. He was going to hate him forever, but anyway, he would not hate him for a long time so, it wouldn’t really matter now. He let the water run through his hair, soaking it as he was clearing his mind, holding his breath, holding his tears. 

 

"Magnus..." Alec entered the shower too, feeling the warm water on his skin before placing his hands on Magnus’ shoulders.

 

"I cannot! I've told you, I do not do love." He emphasized every word to make things clear.

 

Alexander flipped Magnus so he was now pinned against the cold shower wall. He ran a hand on his cheek, looking at him with his beautiful hazel eyes. 

 

“What are you doing to me, Alexander?” Magnus’s voice has softened. 

 

Alec didn’t even bother to answer as he immediately closed the gap between them, kissing Magnus passionately, greedily…Lovingly. 

 

“Ale…” Magnus didn’t have time to finish as Alec was carrying him, pinning him against the wall, and entering him without any warning. Magnus was still stretched from their previous session, so he only let a little moan escape his throat as Alec increased the pace. His thrusts were sloppy but he didn’t miss Magnus’ prostate even once. 

 

After only a few thrusts, Alec was coming as Magnus was screaming his name, coming just before him, clenching around his cock, throwing his arms around Alec’s shoulders, kissing him with so much passion he wasn’t sure he had kissed someone like that before. Maybe that was it, maybe this was what love felt like. 

 

But it was too late.

 

After the shower they stepped out of it and Magnus wrapped Alec and himself in a towel, as they headed back to Magnus’ bedroom, kissing and intertwining their fingers as they entered the room.

 

Alexander put a boxer on before slipping under the covers with his beloved stranger. As soon as his head rested on the pillow he fell asleep.

 

For the first time in five years, Alexander Lightwood didn’t dream of his baby brother, but when he woke, he wished that he was still in a dream.

 

***

 

He was tied up on a metallic chair, only in his boxer briefs, cool air running on his chest as he was struggling to break his chains. In vein, obviously, as he was tied up with very solid handcuffs and chains. Where was he? What was he doing there? How? When? Where? Why? So many questions coming into his mind, and he couldn’t find any answers.

 

“Finally awake,” a familiar voice rang into his ears as he jerked his head, looking with horror at the tall blond guy standing in front of him, smiling, with that hateful smirk he always had.

 

“Sebastian,” Alexander almost spat. “What did you do to Magnus? I swear if you’ve harmed him I’m going to…”

 

Sebastian began to laugh, so hard, that Alexander couldn’t even manage to finish his sentence.

 

“Oh my, my. Alexander. You’re far more stupid than I thought.” Sebastian pressed a button on his watch, speaking into the microphone, “Bring him in.”

 

The door suddenly opened, and Alexander felt all his world crumbling and breaking around him and he had to bite his tongue to keep him from screaming or crying, he didn’t know. 

 

Magnus was entering the room, in a perfectly clean suit, jewelry and makeup on point. He smiled at Sebastian, a forced smile, but still. 

 

“Great job, Bane. I must say I had some doubt after your first attempt, but you managed to deliver the Lightwood boy to me.”

 

“Of course! That was the deal,” Magnus answered without even looking at Alec. 

 

“Magnus,” Alec whispered as if only Magnus could hear him. 

 

But he acted as if Alec wasn’t even there, and let Sebastian bring a huge briefcase to him. As Magnus opened it, Alec understood what Magnus’ job was.

 

“50 Million for the Lightwood boy, it seems a bit light, Morgenstern,” Magnus spat.

 

“There’s 25 Million. We’ll give you the rest later. It’s already a huge amount, Bane. Don’t complain!” Sebastian looked at him with some kind of disgust. 

 

Magnus only let a “tsk” escape his throat as he closed the suitcase and walked toward the exit, glancing at Alec for what seemed to be the last time and he could feel his heart breaking as he saw all the pain and anger in his lover’s eyes. 

 

Alec let his head fall and a few tears surprisingly rolled on his cheeks. He couldn’t cry after all this time. Not now.   
Yet, the tears rolled once again when he felt a hand grabbing a handful of hair and pulling hard so he was raising his head, looking into Sebastian’s black eyes.

 

“We’re going to have so much fun, Lightwood. So much fun.” Sebastian smirked.

 

Alec’s eyes widened as a fist hit his jaw violently, and the next thing he knew was that he passed out.


	3. Just because it burns doesn't mean you're gonna die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec had been captured by Sebastian, and it's all Magnus's fault. The latter can't help but sink into his past, remembering the most painful things he had ever felt, but nothing is as painful as leaving Alexander behind him.
> 
> What will Magnus do? Is Alec going to make it through after what Sebastian has done to him? They'll both have to fight some ghosts from their pasts. But in the end, will they be able to forgive themselves?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, hum. Hey ! I'm back with TMWGS ! Finally ! I'm really sorry it took me sooooo long to finish that chapter, as you'll see, it's very ve-ry, VERY angsty, and few months ago I really wasn't in the mood to write angst... 
> 
> Things are much better now, so here's you *big* dose of angsty Malec !
> 
> A huge thank you to my amazing beta @Fearless_colors , for taking the time to edit my most stupid mistakes (haha) and also for yelling at me, because this chapter was hard !
> 
> A big shout-out to the DMT girls for their patience, and daily motivation TMWGS wouldn't have passed chapter 1 without them.
> 
> /!\ This chapter contains: Violence, torture, angst and PAIN.  
> Please, remember that this is inspired from many James Bond movies, and trust me, it's not Fluffy Fluff Land. 
> 
> I'm sorry. If you want to yell at me do it on twitter, I love to see your reactions ( @PresidentMiaou)

The only thing Magnus heard when he left the room was a stifled cry, followed by the sound of something, violently striking the ground, a body probably, a body he was holding in his arms not so long ago, Alexander’s body. He stopped for a brief moment, wondering if he could just go back and take Alec with him, as if it never happened- but didn’t turn around. He clenched his fists, still holding the suitcase full of money that Sebastian had just given him. He couldn’t go back, not after what he just did. 

 

He gave Alec to Sebastian Morgenstern, because it was his job. He did it all the time, Valentine would gave him a name, he would search for the person, buy the target a drink, or anything, and he would fulfill his dreary mission, and get the money that was promised to him. Why CIA Agent Lightwood would be different than his usual targets? Why the pretty boy with raven hair and hazel eyes would be any different? 

 

He felt his hands shaking, even though remorse was not Magnus’s thing, something in him wanted to drop that suitcase and go back, for real. But, he couldn’t, could he? After all, why would he do that? He had the money. He could just go home, to his spacious and luxurious flat, pour himself a good old whiskey, and just forget about the last couple of days. That’s what he would usually do. 

 

This job was garbage. This was the reason Magnus was alone, and the reason why he would spend the rest of his life like this: alone. 

 

"Get a hold on yourself, Bane. It was your job, nothing more. That guy’s nothing to you. You don’t even know him," Magnus whispered to himself.

 

"Nothing." This word left a bitter taste in his mouth, as if to say it was painful. He saw Alec's smile again that evening at the restaurant, after their last night's frolic, and the last before he fell asleep.

 

Magnus shook his head and frowned. It was no longer his problem. Alexander Lightwood was now a name to add to the list of people Magnus Bane had betrayed. As a matter of fact, Magnus had never really regretted one of his missions; he seduced, he drugged, he sold. That's how it worked. It was his job. And Magnus Bane was a jerk.

 

***

 

Magnus was only 18 when he arrived in the United States. He had finally left an orphanage in Indonesia after coming of age. He rarely spoke of his childhood. After all who would have liked to know his past? Who would have liked to know that his mother had committed suicide? That his stepfather had attempted to drown him and that to defend himself he had almost killed the man? No one was interested in Magnus. Except ...

 

Valentine Morgenstern.

 

And Magnus was only 20 when he started working for Morgenstern. At the age of 20, Magnus was a young dealer who was gifted enough to make his own herbal drugs, which were not particularly dangerous, but could produce far more powerful effects than heroin or cocaine. That's why Valentine Morgenstern didn’t kill Magnus the day he tried to sell him several pounds of a drug of his creation, making it look like marijuana. 

 

Magnus needed money at that time, he didn’t know who Valentine Morgenstern was. 

 

Valentine Morgenstern was one of the most powerful men in the state, if it wasn’t the country. He was one of those guys you don’t know for sure what they’re doing, but they got the money, they got the power, and they got the women. Magnus would learn that later.

 

Back then Magnus was only a small street dealer and heard he could earn a lot of money by working for one of the most powerful men of the city. He just didn’t knew who it was. That why he tried. 

 

He tried making his original drug looking like Marijuana. The color was the same, no smell. If you tried some on the tip of your tongue it would have the same consistency and taste. The effects were just slightly different and harmless. It would make you high, but not enough. 

 

He didn’t really care about it when he gave about 20 pounds of it to his source. He collected half of the money for it, and just went home. It was  already enough money to live on for at least a month, maybe two. So he just thought they wouldn’t see the difference and he would drop by the usual coffee shop to get the rest of the money, and he could rest for at least 6 months with all the money he would get.

 

Well, that’s what Magnus thought. And back then, Magnus was quite naive, he had to admit it himself. He was young, foolish, and naive.

 

Magnus remembered those guys destroying his door at 2am that night. Pinning him on his mattress, his face buried in a pillow. And that guy pulling a gun on his head, and warning him that if he tried to move, that would be the last thing he’d do.

 

“Well, well, well. If it’s not the talented Magnus Bane. Talented? Or rather foolish, perhaps.” A voice rose behind his back. He could clearly hear that it was a man who was talking to him. He had stopped moving, paralyzed by fear and anticipation. He knew it was about the drug.

 

_ Fuck, Bane, when did you think it was a good idea to became a freaking drug dealer and have crazy junkies barging into your apartment like that? _ Magnus internally yelled to himself. If he get through this, maybe he’d find a real job and try to live his life peacefully. No more bullshits like this, no more screwing up things with life. 

 

After a little while, he finally found the way to ask the one question he had in mind since those intruders barged into his house. 

 

“Who are you and what are you doing in my flat?” Magnus grunted.

 

The man laughed before approaching Magnus’s bed. He sat on it and Magnus felt a hand grabbing his hair, and pulled so hard Magnus had to stifle a cry. He felt the man was pulling harder as Magnus was trying to escape his grip, and the latter grunted.

 

“I am, young man, the person you tried to fool,” the man sighed.

 

“I- I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Magnus coughed as he had trouble breathing.

 

The man sighed again, louder this time so Magnus could know how pissed he was and how impatient he could be if someone was trying to make a joke of him. Magnus thought it wouldn’t be a good idea to provoke the man even more. He simply inhaled deeply, his breath shaking as he could still feel the trigger on his temple. 

 

“So, as I was saying. I’m the man you tried to fool with that fake Marijuana you gave me.” The man released Magnus’s hair and the latter fell again, face first, on his pillow. He tried to lift his head but the guy standing next to him pushed the gun enough to make him forget about it.

 

“Let me introduce myself. The name is Valentine Morgenstern, and you, my friend, are going to tell me what you gave me,” Valentine said calmly, but Magnus could feel in his voice that the man was anything but pleased.

 

“It’s- It’s a placebo I- I mean sort of. It- it’s the same consistency, same taste, but nearly no effects, or at least, no damages could be caused to the brain. It will make you dizzy, it will make you feel like you’re high. Took me a couple of days, but in the end, you can’t really tell the difference,” Magnus stuttered, the trigger of the gun hurting his head as he was speaking. 

 

“Hmm.” Was all that Valentine answered. 

 

Magnus could feel the guy holding the gun withdrawing his hand and Magnus could move again. He sat on the edge of the bed, to finally see the man in front of him. He had grabbed a chair and was sitting in front of Magnus’s bed.

 

He was tall, Magnus could tell. He had strong and long legs. He was wearing a black linen suit, and a white shirt underneath it. He had a piercing look, and the face of a person with whom you do not want to have problems.

 

Valentine pulled his chair closer, and found himself face to face with Magnus. He could feel the discomfort. He began to look for a way out, some way to escape. No matter where, no matter how, flight was impossible.

 

"No need to try to escape. I have men on your balcony, in front of, and behind your building, in front of your door...Do I need to go on and tell you how useless it is to try to escape?" Valentine asked, very amused by the situation.

 

Magnus shook his head and Valentine smiled. The man must love to be in control of everything.

 

"Well. I’m a good man. I’ll give you a chance to avoid a rather painful encounter with one or more of my men, for trying to make me feel like a complete idiot. I'd like you to tell me where you found the drug you gave me. The effects may be minimal, but it's still interesting, and if you say it affects the brain less, I want to deal with your source, maybe he can get me more powerful things," Valentine said extending a hand.

 

Magnus swallowed before he could find his words again. Was it a good idea to tell Valentine he had made the drug himself? Lying would be useless, and could also cost him his life, or at least some broken ribs. Well, lying would be painful then, so… Magnus inhaled and simply told the truth. 

 

"I- I made it myself," Magnus chose to answer.

 

Valentine looked surprised at first, disbelief showing on his face. The taller man frowned then laughed very loudly, and Magnus wondered if he’d rather preferred the man when he was serious. Valentine was rather terrifying, even more when he was laughing. Magnus gulped.

 

He could feel sweat running on his neck and he shivered when Valentine started to pet his head with a frightening but gentle hand.

 

“Well, well, well, aren’t you a smart cookie?” Valentine puffed has he was still laughing. 

 

Valentine rose from his chair and gave a hand to Magnus. The latter just stared at it for a moment. He wasn’t sure if Valentine wanted him to stand up, or if he was waiting for something. 

 

“I have an offer for you,” Valentine said.

 

Magnus raised an eyebrow and looked at the man in front of him with a circumspect look, not knowing what the man wanted from him.

 

“What do you want from me?” Magnus asked.

 

“I have a job for you,” Valentine answered with a smirk.

 

And from that day, he had started to work for Valentine, and from that day, Magnus had sold his soul to the Devil himself, and there were no escape. 

  
  


***

 

Magnus found himself still standing in that corridor. He was still thinking about Alexander Lightwood. The young CIA agent was captive behind that closed door. And Magnus could hear the punches very clearly, the muffled cries of pain that Alec was probably restraining because he was too proud to scream under Sebastian’s hands. Magnus’s heart clenched in his chest when he finally heard Alec crying. It wasn’t loud, but Magnus could hear it. He could see the tears running on Alexander’s cheek, he could see the blood on his face, he could picture it like he himself was in the room with him. 

 

Magnus felt something flowing on his face, something hot and wet. A tear. 

 

“Come on, Bane, really? Crying? And I thought you were heartless,” Magnus muttered. And then he thought about the last time he had cried. That was 8 years ago. Remembering why, Magnus clenched his fist and inhaled sharply. “Hasn’t happened for a very long time.” Magnus almost laughed at himself while he was rubbing the tear away with the back of his hand. 

 

Magnus thought about what could have happened if he hadn’t met the Lightwood boy. He would have probably seduced someone else. Some other man or some woman. 

 

Magnus Bane was a seductive man. It wasn’t something new, but Magnus was pitiless. Magnus had broken dozens of hearts, of many people since he had been working for Valentine. He thought of Camille, even though he didn’t break her heart, because she was faster. She was the one to teach Magnus how to be heartless. She was the one who broke Magnus’s heart.

 

And once again, a tear ran on his cheek, and he couldn’t stop it.

 

Camille had been the first woman Magnus ever really loved. She was slightly older than him, and she had already traveled, seen the world. She knew all the pleasures of life. She knew how to love passionately, but she also knew how to break a man's heart.

 

Magnus grimaced at his first encounter with Camille in the streets of New York City, about 10 years ago.

 

***

 

It all started once in New York City. Magnus wasn’t going to live there for a very long time, New York was a rough city, where everyone was crazy. But quickly, he realized it was more like an open-air theater, day or night you could do everything, wandering the street, pretending to be whoever you wanted to be. At each step the adventure was in the air and Magnus was ready to live his own adventure. That's why Magnus loved New York so much, and decided to settle there. He didn’t think that one morning in July would change his life, and not in a good way.

  
He wasn’t sure about leaving his crappy apartment that day. It was hot, too hot, but surprisingly, it was raining. It didn’t rain that much in New York, but when it did, Magnus rather stayed in his apartment, laying on his bed, reading a good book, forgetting about his old life. 

 

On rainy days, Magnus usually had nightmares. Nightmares he couldn’t get rid of, even if he wanted to. And only god knew how much Magnus wanted these nightmares to be gone. It was only flashes, only memories, only fragments of the past. Of Magnus’s past.

 

"Go on the street... Don’t be afraid. It can’t be worse than it was back then," Magnus said to himself.

 

That morning, Magnus went to the usual cafe, where he used to receive orders from his customers. Indeed, the manager of the establishment was working for Valentine and therefore it was he who gave his instructions.

 

Magnus rarely communicated with his employer. He contented himself with taking the order of mission, preparing the merchandise, and Valentine's henchmen came and fetched him a few days later.

 

That morning it was different. Magnus had to wait longer than usual and after sighing several times, he decided to sit at the counter to order a tall, black, sugar-free coffee.

 

"Looks like you need something stronger, darling." A female voice whispered in Magnus's ear.

 

He did not even have time to turn around, when a splendid woman sat next to him. She wore a long red robe scalloped to the top of her thigh. She had long black hair and her red lipstick gave her a much older look. She was between 23 and 25 years old. At least that's the age she should have, because with this layer of makeup, she looked at least 30.

 

She smiled at him and Magnus understood immediately that this woman was a predator.

 

"Camille Belcourt," said the young lady.

 

Magnus did not answer. He merely politely shook her hand, and Camille chuckled.

 

"You still have some things to learn," Camille replied before ordering a gin-tonic.

 

"It's 10 am," he pointed out.

 

"Oh it's happy hour somewhere my dear," Camille answered with a wink.

 

Magnus watched the woman for several seconds before noticing that she was staring at him. She was beautiful, she was charismatic, she was self-confident. She was all that Magnus wanted to be. Of course, he knew he was handsome, with his dark brown eyes, his tanned skin. Magnus didn’t like to brag, but he was quite muscular for a young man of his age, and he looked quite good.

 

He finally realize he hadn’t answered Camille’s question. So after a short reflection, he smiled at her. 

 

"Magnus," he said.

 

"Sorry?" Camille asked intrigued.

 

"My name, Magnus, Magnus Bane," he replied with a smile.

 

Camille smiled and came closer to Magnus, almost purring against him like a cat. 

 

“Well, nice to meet you, Magnus Bane.”

 

***

 

Magnus was in the taxi that brought him home, after letting Alec there with that brat Sebastian. He had spent all the way back thinking about Camille. Camille had been the first woman Magnus had ever loved, the only person he had truly loved, if he really had to admit it.

 

Love?

 

Camille had been the most beautiful but also the most cruel woman Magnus had ever encountered. They stayed together for almost 2 years and Magnus thought he'd finally found the woman of his life.

 

At 23, Magnus Bane was already one of the most powerful men in New York City. He had his own apartment on the 52nd floor of one of the most expensive buildings in the city. He made a good living; making various drugs for Valentine was surely the most profitable trade that could exist. Magnus had gained in charisma, in cynicism, and of course in power.

 

And Camille loved men of power. Oh yes, she loved power, more than she loved men, actually.

 

Magnus remembered very well that evening, when he had returned from an important meeting with Raphael, his partner, with whom he had been working for almost 6 months.

 

Raphael was a young boy, well, only a little younger than Magnus, and who had fled from his home to find a job in New York. Magnus, who had bought his old building, and now rented the apartments, had met Raphael when the young man  was already behind on his rent for three consecutive months . He had begged Magnus to give him a chance, and Magnus had decided to hire him. It wasn’t the best chance you could give to a 19 years old kid, but it was still better than ending up in the street, dying from starvation or cold. 

 

Magnus had spent much of the evening with Raphael, finishing orders for smaller customers. And when he crossed the door of his apartment he found Camille, completely naked, on Valentine's lap, on his couch. His whole world collapsed on that February 8th. Camille had left with Valentine, and Magnus had continued to work for him. Because Magnus Bane was an idiot. 

 

What was Magnus supposed to do? What should he have done? Stopping all of his business with Valentine with the risk of being killed? Because, Magnus knew. Of course he knew anybody ending a contract with Valentine would end up floating in the Hudson River the next morning. Morgenstern was powerful. He was his biggest customer, but most of all he was Magnus's boss. He had all the rights. Magnus was young and naive, and he had let himself be bent by Valentine and his fine speeches on money, power, and especially love.

 

"Magnus, you know, love is something ephemeral, and after all, why would you want to be loved when you can be respected, when you can be feared...Magnus, money is all that really matters. 'Money and power,'” Valentine had said when Camille was putting on her splendid red dress, the one she wore the day she had met Magnus. She didn’t even glance at him, not even once, and Camille left Magnus's apartment, as well as his life, forever.

 

Magnus had never asked for news of Camille, and Valentine had never given him any.

 

Magnus pushed open the door of his apartment. Nothing had really changed since that day, except the sofa, maybe. The decor was the same, dreary and boring according to Magnus, even though he was trying to redecorate as soon as he was able to. He sat down on his new leather sofa after pouring a glass of Whiskey. He could not stop thinking about Alexander, what he was undergoing. Magnus could only imagine.

 

Alexander, his wrists tied to an iron chain, dangling from the ceiling, his body hammered by blows given by Sebastian. His impassive face as he was beaten by Sebastian, this fucking asshole.

 

Magnus swallowed his glass of Whiskey in one go. He really did not want to think about it now. Not after what he had done. To think of Alexander was to think of all the horrors he had done. The way he had betrayed the young agent.

 

Magnus couldn’t help but think about all the moments he had spent with him. He quickly swallowed another glass. He remembered the radiant smile that Alec had after their second night together.  _ Another glass _ . He thought about how Alec had looked at him that night in the bathroom.  _ Another glass _ . "I don’t do love, Alexander."  _ Another glass _ . He could feel the hands of his handsome agent on his body again.  _ Another glass _ . Suddenly, his vision became blurred, and the glass slipped from his hand to break into a thousand pieces on the ground.

 

Magnus buried his face in his hands and sighed. He could never forgive what he had done.

 

"What did I do?" Magnus whispered to himself, before collapsing on the sofa.

 

***

 

He wasn’t asleep, but he wasn’t awake either. He could feel the cold air on his naked skin. He could hear Sebastian talking to him, but he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t, until a jet of cold water hit his body, full force, and he couldn’t help but scream at the sensation of coldness against his body. 

 

When Alec woke up, he had a headache, but it was not the only place that hurt him. His whole body was covered with bruises, his nose was bleeding, and he probably had several ribs broken.

 

"My, my, you, are scary as shit! But well, I must say I thought you were not going to wake up. It would have been less fun for me." A voice sneered behind him.

 

Alec felt a hand resting in his hair, caressing it tenderly before grabbing a wrist and pulling with all his might. Alec threw back his head and clenched his teeth, he was not going to offer Sebastian the satisfaction of hearing him groan in pain. He finally opened his eyes to discover that his wrists were tied to a long metal chain hanging from the ceiling.

 

He fired violently on the chain and a discharge of electricity went all over his body, making him howl with pain.

 

"Argh-" Alec clenched his teeth again, but it was too late. Sebastian was already laughing behind him.

 

"You thought I was stupid, Lightwood? Come on, I will not miss an opportunity to make you or your dear father suffer," Sebastian purred as he stepped forward to face Alec.

 

Sebastian was a handsome man. A pity he was as rotten as a poisoned apple. He had fair blonde hair, almost white, that he usually plated over his head. His eyes were so dark that one might have thought they were black. Black as his soul.

 

Sebastian approached so close that Alec advanced rapidly and violently as if to strike him with all his body. But it was useless, and a new discharge caused him to twist in pain.

 

"Really stupid, Lightwood," Sebastian purred, close to Alec's face.

 

Alec smiled, and spat in the face of his assailant, who was close enough to reach him. Sebastien grimaced as he wiped away the mixture of blood and drool on his cheek. Alec was pleased to see disgust on his opponent's face, and he laughed.

 

Sebastian sent his right fist into Alec's jaw, who in turn grimaced under the effect of pain. He struggled again and felt a jet of electricity running through his body.

 

"Ar-Damnit!" Alec spat.

 

"Stop acting like a fool, and maybe I'll be more sympathetic to you, Lightwood." Sebastian sighed, and went to the table in front of the door of the room where Alec was.

 

The room was small and pitiful. The walls were rusty metal, as was the chain that held Alec's wrists and wounded him over the hours. He could feel the blood flowing down his arms, in his neck and all the way down his back. He began to bite his lower lip, his wrists hurt, and his arms that supported the weight of his whole body. He only touched the ground on tiptoe. He probably was risking dislocating his shoulders by staying in that position.

 

As if he had read his thoughts, Sebastian pressed a button on a remote control that he had in his hand, and the chain went down at once. Under the blow and shock, Alec's legs shrank under his weight, and he found himself kneeling on the floor. He had trouble breathing and his whole body was sore.

 

"How long have I been here?" Alec asked, without waiting for an answer.

 

"Oh, a few hours at most," Sebastian responded to Alec's surprise. "We had to wait until you fell asleep after your crazy evening with Bane. You're a randy devil, my little Lightwood boy. I did not think about you, and to be honest I really didn’t think you were a top."

Alec grunted at the idea that Sebastian could see or hear anything. But after all, Magnus had made fun of him, and Alec had fallen into the trap, head first.

 

Thinking about Magnus gave Alec nausea. He found it very foolish to think that Magnus could have been different. Deep down, he knew, he had always known that Magnus was working for Valentine, but he had never wanted to admit it. From the first meeting he had been able to understand.

 

Their meeting had never been a coincidence. Valentine had asked him to be in that hotel, at the bar, at that precise hour when he knew that Alec would be there. Alec did not know how Valentine or Sebastian could have had the information, but he had it. Thinking about it, Magnus had drugged Alec on their first encounter, but Alec had thought it was only a way to put him out of harm's way while Valentine was trying to steal the Tower of Pisa. Joking aside, Alec took a deep breath.

 

He knew from the beginning that he would end up here, or at least that he would eventually be captured by Valentine and Sebastian and that he would die here.

 

"I know I'm going to die, I'm not stupid," Alec said, loud enough for Sebastian to hear.

 

"Yes, Lightwood, but I’d say it's part of life. People die! Even if I have to confess that you're still young. You're what? Twenty-three, maybe Twenty-four?" Sebastian snickered. He was filling a syringe with a colorless liquid. Alec had no idea what it was, but he was going to find out soon enough.

 

"Twenty-six," Alec answered.

 

“Well, I hope you enjoyed those twenty-six years on earth, because I’m afraid you won’t celebrate another birthday.” Sebastian chuckled.

 

Alec was still on the ground, unable to move. So when Sebastian came back to him, he had to kneel near Alec, once again placing a hand in his hair. Sebastian's grip tightened again and Alec grimaced as he felt his opponent shoot harder and harder, until tears of pain came to the corners of Alec's eyes.

 

"Get up," Sebastian ordered, with a satisfied smile.

 

Alec was still weak, he must have been suspended from the ceiling for nearly 4 hours and he no longer felt his legs. He tried for the first time and slipped on the frozen ground. He wore only his underpants and his whole body trembled, due to the very low temperature of the room.

 

"Get up. Now! Unless you prefer that I use your dear friend, the chain? I’m pretty sure she’ll make you stand up?" Sebastian threatened, smirk on his face.

 

Alec, with difficulty, succeeded in standing before his captor. He smiled sarcastically at Sebastian as if to show him how docile he was. Of course Alexander Lightwood was a lot of things, but not docile. And certainly not with someone as miserable as Sebastian Morgenstern.

 

Without letting go of his syringe, Sebastian approached gently, and stood behind Alec. The latter was about to turn around when he felt his arms raising sharply above his head. He yelled in pain when he heard a "crack" sound. His wrists, or at least one, had just broken with violence and the shock of action. Alec continued to scream for a few seconds before hearing Sebastian whisper to him to shut up.

 

"Shush, shush, there. There, it's over," Sebastian purred.

 

His body was much too close to Alec's, and he started to move as if to avoid contact, but Sebastian placed his hand on Alec's hip and leaned against him. Alec grimaced at the sensation of Sebastian's body against his.

 

"It's a pity, Lightwood, you're cute. It almost makes me sad to have to kill you," Sebastian pouted.

 

"I'd rather be dead than be your whore," Alec spat, and he would have really spat again in Sebastian's face if the man was in front of him.

 

Sebastian let his hand slip along Alec's hip before placing a kiss on his neck, and Alec moved with disgust. That Sebastian hits him, sends him a bucket of icy water in his face, Alec didn’t give a shit about it, he was a CIA agent, he saw worse during his previous missions, and he would be going to see worse in the future . That Sebastian touch him that way, it was out of the question. Alec tried to disengage himself again, but without effect. He was too weak, and Sebastian held him too firmly. He tried to strike with his feet, but no result.

 

Sebastian held him firmly and began to slide his hand along Alec's torso. Alec felt the bile rising to his throat. He was still struggling, trying to hit Sebastian with his head, his legs, his feet. He felt Sebastian against him and that feeling was enough to make him want to vomit.

 

"Who knows, Lightwood...maybe you'd like to bottom for once?" Sebastian laughed and Alec could feel him pressing even more against him.

 

He felt the warm breath of Sebastian laughing on his back, but Alec did not give up. He crushed Sebastian's foot violently with his heel.

 

"You son of a ..." Sebastian yelled, before finally releasing Alec.

 

Alec smiled and continued to smile after Sebastian put a fist into his jaw. Alec did not give a damn if he would make the Morgenstern asshole suffer a little. That would be the last good thing he would do.

 

"Oh! Did I hurt you? Well, shame," Alec said with a smirk.

 

"Be the clever boy as long as you can Lightwood, but you won’t be laughing when I'm done with you," Sebastian spat as he grabbed Alec's hair to inject the contents of the syringe into the neck.

 

“What is it?” Alec asked, once again, not hoping for an answer, but Sebastian was rather talkative today.

 

Sebastian didn’t answer this time and Alec could feel his breath getting faster and his body hotter. Suddenly his body started to jolt and he couldn’t help but scream as the pain kept getting stronger. Sebastian was watching him and it was the worst feeling of all. Alec could feel the drool running from the corner of his mouth even though he was trying to keep it close. He could feel the sweat running down his neck, he could feel the spasms taking over his body, but most of all, he could clearly feel the pain, becoming stronger and stronger as the seconds passed by.

 

“What it is? I mean, do you really want to know?” Sebastian asked, a grin on his face, as he was watching Alec struggling and fighting against the poison running through his veins.

 

Then, a more unpleasant feeling began to get a hold on Alec’s body, he could feel his legs going numb, not holding him anymore. He couldn’t even let his body fall on the ground, as the chains were holding him still, and his wrist was broken. So he had to stand, even though the pain was almost unbearable. He threw his head back, as a new wave of pain was taking a hold on his body, and he screamed as the venom was diffusing in his whole body, causing him to squirm even more. He was trying to fight, he thought for a moment that maybe, if he could fight long enough, someone, anyone would come to rescue him. 

 

He didn’t even think about his dad, Isabelle, or Jace first. Frankly, he didn’t think of any of his CIA colleagues, that were used to those kinds of missions. He thought about Magnus, imagining he would come and save him.

 

_ ‘Save me?’  _ Alec thought.  _ ‘Take a hint, Lightwood. You’re here. Not even knowing where “here” really is. You’re half naked, and they probably dumped your clothes, phones and watch somewhere so nobody would be able to track you. And now you’re thinking about a guy who sold you to your worst enemy because it was his fucking job? So just accept the fact that you’re going to die here, and stop fantasizing about being rescued. You knew. Stop lying to yourself! You knew.’  _

 

“Yes I knew! For fuck sake, of course I knew!” Alec started to yell. 

 

“Ah, it starts getting interesting,” Sebastian said, pouring himself a glass of red wine.

 

Voices began to speak in Alec’s mind. Then they started screaming and Alec couldn’t help but scream in turn. He could hear her voice among the others, the voice of the first person he ever killed. The only person he had killed in his entire life. She was there too, saying it was his fault, saying that everything was his fault, and that he deserved to die.

 

Alec began to cry. He hated that feeling. Feeling powerless, vulnerable, in front of the person he hated the most. 

 

“It wasn’t my fault! It was an accident!” he screamed at nobody. Nobody was there except Sebastian, but Alec couldn’t even manage to remember he was there. He was trapped in his own mind. Fight with all the ghosts from his past. Max was there too, he was crying. 

 

“I swear, it wasn’t my fault.” Alec kept saying again and again, tears running down his cheeks. 

 

In fact, he knew it was his fault. It was his first mission with his father, it wasn’t supposed to be something big though. Just some drug dealer. But nothing happened as it was supposed to happen, and there she was. This pretty brunette, with her fake gun. How was Alec supposed to know? Back then, he realized he had been a fool, and that even Max would have noticed the gun was fake, but Alec didn’t. And he shot. And she died. 

 

“I didn’t mean to kill her. I swear she- damn she was holding the gun and I- I-” Alec stammered as Sebastian was dropping the glass on the table.

 

“So you’re the one who killed her?” Sebastian whispered. “It wasn’t your father, it was you. You killed Camille?” Sebastian almost laughed.

 

Alec simply nodded, the tears still flowing over his face, as he realized Sebastian was still there. 

 

“Oh god, I- Yeah. I killed Camille Belcourt. It wasn’t my dad. He lied to the journalist so I wouldn't- so the CIA wouldn’t fire me. God, it was my first mission,” Alec sobbed.

 

“Well, that’s an interesting piece of news. I guess my dad will be pleased we got you then. I should call Magnus too. Did you know Camille was Magnus’s ex-fiancée? Oh what a drama!” Sebastian laughed.

 

_ Camille was- she was Magnus’s fiancée? _ Alec began to shake his head and his whole body began to shake in turn. Even though he should be the one hating on Magnus for what he did, Alec found himself wondering if Magnus would hate him if he knew? 

 

Maybe Magnus already hated Alec? After all, it was Magnus’s fault Alec was there. And Alec realized that, indeed, he should be hating him. The guy had drugged him, slept with him, then what? He invited him for a date, and then, he slept with him again, made him trust him, made him feel attached? Alec had loved once, and he never thought he would be able to love again, but, Magnus had unlock something in him. Something he should have kept locked up because this asshole of Magnus Bane, reminded Alec why he shouldn’t love. Because it’s so easy to break a trust, and break a heart.

 

“Fuck you Magnus Bane, fuck you and your ‘I don’t do love’. Because it’s not love I feel for you, it’s hatred!” Alec spat as he was still squirming, trying to break his bond, even though he knew it was useless. 

 

“Fuck you Magnus Bane,” he kept saying as he was still sobbing.

 

Thinking about his former lover, he felt the tears coming up and had to bite on his lower lip to prevent himself from crying. he wouldn’t cry in front of Sebastian, not again. He felt his nose bleeding and the liquid flowing from it. He had to cough several times, so he wouldn’t choke on his own blood. And before he could hold it, Alec threw up, before passing out.

 

“Hmm. Maybe I used too much, I’ll be careful next time. Well,  _ if _ he wakes up.” 

 

***

 

Magnus was awakened by the sound of someone knocking at his door. He emerged slowly, still under the influence of alcohol. He looked at his watch: 6am. He sighed and lay down on his sofa. The blows persisted against the door and echoed in his head, making his hangover worse.

 

After a few minutes he finally decided to get up and cross his apartment, a hand against his forehead. He opened the door violently.

 

"For fuck sake, I hope you have a good excuse," Magnus began before he found himself in front of a young woman holding a baby in her arms.

 

"I have already given to the charities, thank you," Magnus just replied before closing the door.

 

A hand quickly placed the doorbell and held it back, before the young woman entered the apartment.

 

"Mademoiselle, if you do not leave my apartment right now, I call the secu-" Magnus did not have time to finish his sentence, once again.

 

"Magnus Bane," the young woman announced. "You will tell me where my brother is."

 

Magnus froze, after looking at her. Yes there was no doubt about it, that black hair, that piercing look. That young woman was none other than Isabelle Lightwood, Alexander's sister.

 

“Your brother? I’m sure you can be less cryptic,” Magnus ironized, even though he was pretty sure who her brother was.

 

Isabelle sighed. Magnus could tell she was angry, and she was about to yell, but before she could say anything, the baby began to cry. She started to bounce him shushing him, and the baby started to whine and squirm. And Magnus found himself quickly annoyed by the cries. The baby crying, plus his headache and the fact that Alexander’s sister was looking for him in his living room weren’t helping.

 

“Give me,” Magnus said, stretching his arms.

 

“I beg you pardon?” Isabelle asked, surprised.

 

“Give me the baby,” Magnus said, and continued when he saw Isabelle was holding him closer to her chest. “I lived in an orphanage in Indonesia when I was younger, I know how to calm babies.” 

 

Isabelle saw that the baby was still squirming and whining so she gave him the baby, staying close enough to catch him if she had too.

 

Magnus looked at the baby, all wrapped up in a beautiful dark green blanket. Magnus noticed that the baby's name was embroidered on the cover, as well as several small arrows, he found it very cute. 

 

“Matthew, that’s a cute name,” Magnus said softly, before he began to bounce him against his chest.

 

“ Soleram, soleram 

Soleram anak yang manis.

Anak manis, janganlah dicium sayang 

Kalau dicium, meralah pipinya.

 

Satu, dua, tiga, dan empat 

Lima, enam, tujuh, delapan, 

Kalau tuan dapat kawan baru sayang, 

Kawan yang lama ditinggal kan jangan.”

 

When Magnus had finished the song, the baby was sleeping and was quietly snoring on Magnus chest. The latter smiled fondly. As far as he could remember, he had always loved babies and kids. He had taken care of so many children when he was young. 

 

“You’d make a good dad,” Isabelle said softly.

 

“Probably not. You don’t know me. I’ll perhaps be the worst father ever.” Magnus paused, looking fondly at the baby. “People say we educate our children the same way our parents educated us. That would make me the most terrible father a child could have. Moreover, having a child is something you want to do with- with someone special. I don’t have anyone,” Magnus said as he gave Matthew back softly to Isabelle.

 

“You could have my brother. I see the way he is since he’s met you. You’re good for him. But I’m not here to talk about you parenting aptitudes, I’m here because I can’t reach my brother, and the last thing I know, is that he had a date with you last night.” Isabelle frowned.

 

“He left. I can’t tell you anything else. We had dinner, and we both went our own ways,” Magnus lied, it was obvious, even though Magnus was a good liar.

 

“I don’t believe you,” Isabelle said, still holding her baby. “We live in the same building and according to the security cameras, he didn’t come home last night. I wasn’t worried until this morning. I knocked at his door around 5 am, he’s usually awake, but he didn’t answer, so I opened the door. He wasn’t there. Jace is tracking his phone, but I needed to speak to you, and I’m not leaving until you give me the information I need.”

 

Magnus could tell she wouldn’t leave, but how he could possibly tell her that her dear brother was probably dead by now? Magnus looked at her, and took a deep breath.

 

“I know where you brother is,” he simply answered before sitting on his couch. 

 

***

When Alec opened his eyes, he was no longer in the dark gloomy room with Sebastian, where it was colder and darker than where he was now. He felt the breeze of a summer morning caressing his cheeks. He could feel the fragrance of the flowers and the singing of the birds.

 

When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself in a vast meadow filled with magnificent red flowers. He was lying against a tree, a book of poems by Paul Verlaine on his knees. Alec had always loved French poetry, and this author knew how to find beauty in the most ordinary things. He described love, beauty and nature with incompatible talent. Alec loved the sound of the French language, its complexity, and its beauty.

 

He quickly glanced at the open book, to discover it was open on his favorite poem.

 

“C'est l'extase langoureuse,   
C'est la fatigue amoureuse,   
C'est tous les frissons des bois   
Parmi l'étreinte des brises,   
C'est, vers les ramures grises,   
Le choeur des petites voix.”

 

Alec recited calmly, putting his finger on paper slightly damaged by the years. He finally looked up to admire the landscape, and smiled.

 

"Poppies."

 

"You know they're my favorites." A kid's voice answered.

 

Alec turned his head to see that Max was there, sitting by the tree beneath which his big brother was lying, on an enormous root, a book in his hand too, but unlike his brother who was reading French poetry, Max preferred comics.

 

"I knew you'd come back," Max said happily.

 

Alec hid his face in his hands, and finally let all he had on his heart go. He began to cry, as he had probably not cried since Max's death.

 

"Oh, Max, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. It was always my fault. That day I should have been at home with Izzy and not on a mission. I shouldn’t have had the right to go on a mission. This was all my fault, and I let Dad take the blame for that, because I was too selfish to let a mistake ruin my career, but killing somebody isn’t just a mistake. I- I’m the worst, Max. How could you admire someone like me? I’ve spent my entire life lying to everybody." Alec sobbed.

 

Max came closer to his brother and sat on his lap. 

 

“Alec, I think you should accept what happened. It wasn’t your fault,” Max told him, as he was stroking his big brother’s hair.

 

Alec looked at him. He was about to open his mouth, when a cold wave woke him up and he was freezing again. He was back in the dark and gloomy room, and Sebastian was in front of him. 

 

“Sorry to wake you up. You seemed to have quite a dream, you were talking about telling the truth, Lightwood? Let me hear that, will you?” Sebastian purred as he sat on a chair, few centimeters away from Alec.

 

The latter wasn’t in the mood for Sebastian’s games, and he simply spat. It didn’t touch Sebastian, but Alec didn’t mean it to. He just wanted Sebastian to understand he wouldn’t talk to him.

 

“Pity, I was going to wait a little bit longer before I use this, but you give me no choice, you stubborn little prick,” Sebastian said as he grabbed a syringe and Alec’s eyes widened when he realized what was going to happen to him, again. 

 

Alec started to babble some words. He wasn’t begging. He wasn’t apologizing, not to Sebastian. He was trying to calm himself, that it was going to be ok, even though he knew it wouldn’t be.

 

He felt the syringe sink into his neck for the second time, and he repressed a cry of pain when the effects began to set in. He clenched his teeth, trying not to scream, trying not to cry. He knew he was vulnerable in this position against Sebastian, but he still tried to keep a little dignity.

 

It was before she appeared before his eyes. The woman he had killed, Camille Belcourt, a splendid girl who had been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

"Nice to see you again, baby Lightwood," she sniggered.

 

Alec’s breathing began to accelerate. She wasn’t really there. It was only a hallucination caused by the drug injected by Sebastian.

 

"She is not, she is not there," Alec repeated to himself.

 

"Oh darling, of course I'm here, and I'll always be there, in a corner of your mind. All your life, you'll live with this image of me, lying on the bed of this hotel room, to shoot me."

 

"It was an accident!" Alec screamed.

 

Camille burst into an evil laugh, or maybe it was Sebastian, Alec couldn’t tell. He was now screaming too loud to hear anything.

 

“Oh, stop fooling yourself. It wasn’t an accident. You pointed your gun towards me and shot. Where’s the accident in that?” she pouted.

 

Alec began to jolt violently as the poison was taking over. He could feel the effect dissipating and he didn’t throw up this time, but he wanted to scream in pain. He let his head fall and started coughing badly, as he was trying to drive the venom out of his system. He was now coughing blood, and it only was a matter of time. He wouldn’t be able to last any longer. He could feel his body shaking and his legs going limb. 

 

“Ready to spit it out, Lightwood? Or maybe you want another shot?” Sebastian asked, impatient.

 

Alec stayed calm and quiet for a while, before sighing loudly.

 

“It was six years ago. I- I was twenty, and I just got my first mission order. I was so proud to be an agent so young, it’s quite rare. But, with a father like mine, it was easy to break the rules, and this is why I was able to pass agent at twenty instead of twenty-three. It was a cold day, February. My first mission order was to arrest a terrorist working for the Russian Government, and at the same time, working for your dad. We didn’t have any trouble entering the building, but once we were in the hotel room, the guy was dead. A bullet. Right in his head. It happened so fast, she ran out from the bathroom, a gun in her hand, and aiming at my dad.” Alec began to sob.

 

“He didn’t even move. He was about to tell me not to do anything, but I saw her pulling on the trigger so I shot.” Alec let his head drop and began to cry, tears flowing on his cheeks.

 

“Continue,” Sebastian said, impassive.

 

Alec sobbed and gulped.

 

“The bullet went right through her heart, killing her. This is only after a short time that I realized the charger of the gun was empty, the least it would have done was maybe a noise strong enough to distract us, and she could have left,” Alec managed to say. “When our boss asked for a report, my dad said- he said that our target killed the woman and he shot him so he wouldn’t shoot any of us. It was a lie, but I never told anyone I was the one who killed her.” 

 

“Wow! How impressive! You’re a real sniper, Lightwood,” Sebastian said with a smirk.

 

Alec looked at him as he if he was crazy, but he thought for a moment that yes, Sebastian Morgenstern was a crazy asshole.

 

“Oh, and by the way, sorry,” Sebastian said.

 

“Sorry for what?” Alec asked.

 

“For not being honest,” Sebastian smiled before putting the syringe in Alec’s neck once again.

 

But this time, there was no pain, only darkness.

 

***

 

Magnus felt the slap on his cheek and the last thing he said was that he was working for Valentine and that he was the one who gave Alexander to him.

 

"How could you?" Isabelle almost spat as Magnus rubbed his cheek, slightly reddened.

 

Magnus had told Isabelle, or at least the main lines, that he had been working for several years for Valentine, who was one of his biggest customers. That he had had the order to seduce Alexander Lightwood, and to leave him unconscious in a hotel room.

 

"And why didn’t you leave him in this room in the first place?" Isabelle asked, almost disgusted.

 

"Speaking with Alexander, I - there was something in him that I liked, so I sent a message to Valentine, telling him that he had left the hotel, and instead I - I - I spent the night with him." Magnus stopped for a moment. He couldn’t look Isabelle in the eyes, and he continued.

 

"Alexander liked me. I knew it was risky. I knew I was going to get into trouble, but I asked him if we could see each other again. After drugging him and tying him to a bed in my hotel room, I thought he was going to arrest me, or tell me to go to hell. But he didn’t." Magnus smiled, a tear pearling at the corner of his eye.

 

"When I saw him I was afraid. I saw how he looked at me, I saw that he wanted more than just a fuck from time to time. The thing that scared me the most was that- it was what I wanted too," Magnus said before receiving another slap.

 

"If that's what you wanted, then why did you sell him to Valentine?" Isabelle yelled at Magnus.

 

"I didn’t," Magnus answered. He inhaled again. "When we returned from the restaurant, I spare you the details, we went to bed. After that, I wanted to tell Alexander to leave, I don’t know why, but I was selfish, I let him fall asleep in my bed." Magnus paused.

 

"And then you sent a message to Valentine." Isabelle looked at him with disgust.

 

"No, it was Sebastian who knocked on my door around 1 am to congratulate me on having finally succeeded in my mission. I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t do anything I- I injected Alexander with a powerful soporific so he wouldn’t wake up on the ride, and I let Sebastian give me the money he had promised me when I first had received the mission order.

 

“I followed them, saying nothing, and I was there when Alexander woke up. Sebastian wanted to make sure he saw I had betrayed him, and he wanted me to see the pain in his eyes at that exact moment, when he was going to discover everything. I betrayed Alec, and I could never forgive myself."

 

Isabelle refrained from crying, Magnus could see it, but she also refrained from striking Magnus a third time.

 

"Magnus, my brother is still alive. I know it, and right now I need you to tell me where he is. I have to go, and I have to save him," Isabelle ordered.

 

Magnus sighed. He could not give Isabelle the address to Valentine's den, and he had many reasons for it.

 

"I can’t do that, and I'll take the time to enumerate many reasons for you. First, if I do tell you, there's probably a hundred percent chance that Valentine will know the information came from me. And, I'd like to avoid that. Then you need a stamped code to enter, so unless I cut my finger I- " Magnus grimaced at seeing a small smile on Isabelle's face.

 

"Do not even think about it!" Magnus pointed at Isabelle before placing his fingers as far as possible. "This building is literally a maze, even if I managed to explain to you how to get in, it would take you hours to find Alec, and forgive me for saying that, but I think Alec doesn’t have several hours. He barely has few hours I’d say." Magnus sighed. “We need to think, and think quick.”

 

Isabelle knelt before Magnus, and placed her hand on his knee. Now she was really crying, and she clasped her baby against her, not wanting to wake him up. Magnus felt his heart tighten in his chest. He wanted to tell her everything he could, but he knew exactly what they had gone through. The Lightwoods had already lost a lot, just like Magnus. And the latter could feel the guilt and the pain taking him over. Maybe he was weak after all, maybe he wanted to choose love over power.

 

"Magnus, I've already lost one of my brothers. I can’t lose Alec," Isabelle sobbed.

 

Magnus jumped up from his sofa and grabbed his jacket, picked up his phone and called a taxi.

 

"Bane, a taxi for you know where...Yes, I'll be in front of the building in two minutes," Magnus said before hanging up. He cast a last look at Isabelle, who was still crying. He threw his keys, telling her to stay there.

 

"Call Jace and other agents of the CIA. I'm going to need back-up. I do not know at all how long I'll be inside, I will send you the address once I have found Alec. Above all, do not do anything stupid before my call." Magnus was getting ready to leave.

 

"Magnus, I want to come with you," Isabelle said.

 

Magnus gave her a sad but compassionate look, he knew what it was like to fight for a member of your family. He merely sighed.

 

"Isabelle Lightwood. There are a lot of things that your brother will never forgive me for, but putting his sister in danger won’t be on the list, I'm sorry. Stay here. You can use my computer, and I count on you to help me if -  _ when _ I have found your brother." Magnus opened the door of his apartment and turned to say one more thing to Isabelle, who began to cry even more when Magnus finally left the apartment.

 

***

 

"Alec? Alec, Alec, wake up!"

 

"Max?" Alec asked.

 

"You left too quickly the last time. You have to stop, Alec. It's no use. You have to stay here," Max pleaded.

 

Alec sat up and stood at the foot of the tree in the poppy field. He looked around him, the weather was fine, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and his little brother was there.

 

"Max, I-" Alec began.

 

"Alec, it's ok," Max answered.

 

"No, I lied. I lied to you by making you think I was a hero. All that time you thought I saw someone I wasn’t, I was heartbroken. I killed someone, Max. She wasn’t a villain, she was a person who shouldn’t have died, and I was the one who killed her. I should have been there for you that day. I should have been with you, I'm not an agent, Max. I'm an imposter, I'm a liar."

 

Max started to sob, and Alec felt like he had just betrayed the confidence his little brother had in him. He felt his heart break in his chest while Max wasn’t moving.

 

"Alec, you really don’t understand," Max told him.

 

"There's nothing to understand, Max. I'm not the one I've always claimed to be. I'm neither a good agent, nor a good brother. I didn’t take enough care of you either, or Jace and Izzy when you left. Dad stopped talking for two years, Mom asked for a divorce, Izzy fell into a depression, and Jace blamed himself for your death, and I didn’t do anything." Alec repressed a sob.

 

Max finally approached to take his brother in his arms.

 

"You don’t understand, Alec. Everyone got better because of you. You were there for everybody; you paid for all the re-education sessions for Izzy, you took Jace to see all his favorite Baseball games even though you hated it, you held out to Mom when she tried to exclude you and Jace from all the major missions. Alec, you had nightmares for more than five years because you thought you were responsible of my death," Max said, a hand on his cheek.

 

"It's you who don’t understand. You don’t know. You can’t possibly understand. Camille, she was- she was Valentine's wife. I only discovered that later, when you were- it was after you died, and it was my fault. By killing his wife, I killed you too. Max, I’m so sorry. This was all my fault. I should have died, I should have been the one dying that day. I just- Max, I just can’t live with that anymore. I can’t possibly be happy, and what’s the point in living a lie? What’s the point of living if nothing or no one can make me happy?” Alec sighed as he was giving up.

 

“What about Magnus?” Max asked and Alec jolted hearing that name.

 

“How do you even kn-” Alec began before Max shushed him.

 

“You know I’m not really here, Alec. It’s just in your head,” the little boy answered with a sad smile.

 

“Magnus is- I thought Magnus was the one. You’ll think me silly, I don’t really know him, you know? But, he’s- he’s just easy to talk to. He’s handsome, he’s charming, and he’s a real bastard. He drugged me. He betrayed me. He sold me to Valentine! I- I can’t love someone like him, Max. I just can’t. I just feel like I should hate him,” Alec said, burying his head in his hand.

 

“But do you?” Max asked, innocently.

 

“What?” Alec said, but he understood what Max meant.

 

“Do you hate him?” The boy asked picking a daisy on the ground and putting it in Alec’s raven hair. “You know, daisies are pretty, but I prefer poppies. Nothing grows here besides them, you’re like this flower, Alec. You don’t belong here.”

 

After a long time, Alec finally raised his head, his cheeks were reddening, and you could still see the tears on his face.

 

“No,” Alec simply said, and Max tilted his head. 

 

“No what, Alec?” Max asked with a smile.

 

“I don’t hate him. I can’t say I wouldn’t yell at him if I ever see him again, but I doubt it. But no, I don’t hate him. I wanted to be happy, I still want to be happy.” Alec was holding back his tears now. He was sick of crying, but he couldn’t help it. “I want to be happy, Max. I want to try being happy even though you’re not here, I want to be happy and I want you to be proud of me someday,” Alec finally answered after a pause.

 

Max simply smiled and adjusted the daisy in Alec’s air. Then the little boy stepped away from his brother and started to muffle his sobs.

 

“I’m glad you finally understood, Alec,” Max said, tears running on his baby cheeks. “Someone is there for you.” 

 

“Wha-” Alec was about to ask when he heard someone calling his name. It was a familiar voice, a voice he heard not so long ago. He was pleased to hear it wasn’t Sebastian. It was Magnus.

 

“He came for you, Alec.” Max smiled, cupping a poppy to give it to Alec. “You have to go. Go back and be happy.”

 

“I can’t leave you here. I can’t,” Alec said panicked as he felt that everything around him was disappearing. “Max, I don’t want to leave you.” 

 

“You don’t want to leave, but you don’t want to give up on your life. Please Alec, you have to,” Max whispered.

 

“But you said -” Alec started before he felt someone touching him, someone holding him. He was so warm, and he was so gentle.

 

“I wanted you to stay. I’m sorry I lied. I wanted you to realize that you don’t belong here, you have so many things to do, Alec, so much to build, and so many people to love.” That was the last thing Max said to Alec before he disappeared, and Alec finally opened his eyes.

 

“Alexander!” Magnus said, as Alec was opening his eyes. 

 

Magnus was there. He was really there. He was kneeling beside him, he was holding him in his arms, he was warm. Alec first wanted to smile, then wanted to cry, then he felt anger rise in him. He saw that his wrists were at last free, and he noticed that his left wrist was broken.

 

"I'm lucky to be right-handed," Alec said, angry.

 

"Wha-" Magnus barely had time to ask his question as Alec struck him violently in the face. Magnus was unbalanced for a moment, before sitting down.

 

"I think you broke my nose," Magnus whined.

 

"Just like you broke my heart?" Alec spat.

 

Magnus looked at Alec sadly and Alec regretted his gesture and what he had just said.

 

"Magnus, I-"

 

"No Alec, you're right. I- I was really the worst bastard with you. And I'm sorry for what I did. I thought I had no choice, but I was wrong. I could have had the choice, and I should have chosen you,” Magnus said, and Alec couldn't tell if Magnus was about to cry or not.

 

“I should punch you another time, but I- I can’t,” Alec admitted, as he was holding back a sob.

 

Magnus gently slid his hand to take Alec’s in his, and squeezed tightly. 

 

“Why did you come?” Alec asked, not sure he wanted to hear the answer.

 

Magnus said nothing and placed his other hand on Alec's cheek. He slowly approached and captured the lips of the young agent without the latter retreating. Alec quickly returned the kiss. It wasn’t a tempestuous kiss, like those they were used to. It was sweet, it was languorous, it was filled with promise, and love.

 

Alec drew back for a moment to look at Magnus in the eyes and catch his breath. "You're really here," Alec whispered before leaning over to kiss Magnus again, with a little more ardor. And Magnus let himself be carried away by the kiss before capturing Alec's lower lip between his teeth. Magnus wanted this moment never to stop, but right now, they had to stop, because he feared that it could be the last moment he would spend with Alec, if they didn’t leave immediately.

 

Magnus broke the kiss this time. He plastered his forehead against Alec's.

 

“I realized something. For a long time, I closed myself to feel anything for anyone, man or woman. Valentine made me think money and power were the only important things in life. The only person I’ve ever loved broke my heart, and I became what I am now. A despicable, but handsome jerk. You’ve unlocked something in me. I chose to come back because I- I couldn’t give up on you, Alexander. I came back because I’ve decided to choose happiness, to choose you,” Magnus admitted to Alec, who was watching him with teary eyes.

 

Alec didn’t have to say anything. He just threw himself in Magnus’s arms and kissed him passionately, his tongue trying to meet his lover’s, his arms wrapped around Magnus's shoulders. He felt so safe, he felt so loved. 

 

"Even if I'd like to stay here and...thinking about it, no I do not want to stay here. We should go before Sebastian comes back. I sent a message to your siblings, Jace had succeeded to hack the security system, but we don’t have much time," Magnus stated as he gave his jacket to Alec.

 

“Can you walk?” Magnus asked Alec, who was standing up with some difficulty.

 

“Yeah, I’ll be fine, I guess,” Alec said as he was putting on the jacket.

 

“I’m sorry, I should have brought something for you but I-” Magnus started as they walked out of the room.

 

They were close to the front door when someone stepped in front of them. 

 

Sebastian.

 

“Well, you’re not leaving, are you?” Sebastian said as he faked a sad face.

 

Magnus stood in front of Alec as if to protect him, but facing Sebastian was useless. The blond laughed before walking closer to Magnus.

 

"Well, Bane, I can’t say I'm not disappointed. I think Valentine will be just as much," Sebastian observed.

 

"Valentine can go to hell. I won’t work for him anymore," Magnus spat.

 

"I think he won’t like that either, but, do you really think you can get out of here with your precious Lightwood boy?" Sebastian purred.

 

Alec was watching out for him but no other way could lead them to the exit, and Sebastian was not going to let them go that way. He began looking for a way, and saw a Swiss knife, hanging from Magnus's pocket. He analyzed the situation. The blade wasn’t that large, not more than 7 cm maybe. If he hit hard enough, it could probably hurt Sebastian enough to at least put him out of harm's way.

 

"But I think that some information might change your mind when you learn what your dear lover did. I suppose you're dying to know that he killed-" Sebastian did not have time to finish.

 

Alec had already seized the knife in Magnus's pocket and threw himself on Sebastian, throwing it on the ground, and the latter gasped with surprise.

 

Alec had placed the blade under Sebastian's throat and he was about to cut his throat, but his hand was trembling. He had dreamed of being here for years, and now that he was at the fatal moment, his hand refused to obey him. Was this ruling doing justice to Max? Killing Sebastian? Was that the solution? Killing him and letting himself sink into new nightmares? No, Max would not want that, and Alec did not want it either. Sebastian should be in one of the cells of the CIA.

 

Sebastian laughed.

 

"So, Alexander," Sebastian purred at his ears and Alec believed he was going to vomit.

 

"Don’t call me that," Alec threatened him.

 

"We both know you won’t do anything. After all, you're a coward, Lightwood. You live in a lie, hiding behind your precious CIA agent job, but basically you're not better than me." Sebastian gave a great blow to Alec's bruised wrist as the knife flew several meters away.

 

"Argh-" Alec hissed in pain, while Sebastian gave him a violent punch in the jaw, knocking him down for a second, but it was enough for him to jump on him in turn, giving him a powerful blow in his stomach, and Alec began to cough violently.

 

Magnus rushed to help him, while Sebastian had reversed the roles and was now on Alec, knocking him harder and harder.

 

After picking up the knife, Magnus turned and realized with horror that Sebastian had gotten up. Alec wasn’t moving anymore.

 

"It's you and me, now, Bane." Sebastian smirked.

 

"Believe it or not, Morgenstern. It's not going to be as easy as you think," said Magnus before hitting Sebastian violently in the face. The latter used the sleeve of his white shirt to wipe his lower lip, stained with blood.

 

Sebastian and Magnus began to fight, and Magnus found himself a little rusty at the time. He practiced Tai-chi regularly, but it was more a method of relaxation than a real combat technique. Nevertheless Magnus had a certain flexibility which allowed him to avoid the blows.

 

Taking advantage of a moment of mischief on the part of his opponent Sebastian gave a violent kick and Magnus lost his balance, releasing the knife, which fell on the ground.

“You’re not as clever as you think, Bane. You’re doing all of this, risking your life for a CIA agent! They are monsters,” Sebastian hissed as Magnus punched him right in the face.

 

“You should clearly learn the definition of monster.” Magnus smirked with disgust. 

 

“Oh you think you know everything about your precious boy? Well you should ask him. Well, right now, he can’t answer but, I think you’d like to know whom he had killed,” Sebastian said as he punched Magnus in the stomach and the latter grunted and fell on the ground.

 

“You were pretty good at this, shame,” Sebastian admitted.

 

“Hey blondie!” A voice raised behind Sebastian and when the man turned around, he was facing Alexander Lightwood. His face was a mess, his hair was stuck to his forehead with sweat, his nose was bleeding, and so was his bottom lip. 

 

Alec gave a violent punch to Sebastian’s stomach, and after a few seconds, the latter began to spit blood, and he lowered his head to see that Alec had grabbed the knife, and had stabbed him with it. Alec gave another punch and Sebastian grunted as he felt the blade going through his stomach once again. 

 

The blonde boy fell on the ground, holding his wound, blood spilling from it and tainting the ground. 

 

“Magnus! Magnus are you ok?” Alec said as he rushed as fast as he could, near Magnus, who was still lying on the ground. He was bleeding from his nose too, and Alec pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket pocket.

 

"I really think I have a broken nose," Magnus chuckled.

 

"We'll take care of that when we get home," Alec promised.

 

"Home?" Magnus asked.

 

"Let's build our home, Magnus. I know that- I mean - I-" Alec stammered.

 

"Let's go home, Alec." Magnus smiled.

 

They were finally going out of that place. They were going to be able to start all over again, and perhaps, try to live happily.

 

"Not so fast," a broken voice raised behind them.

 

Sebastian managed to stand up despite his wounds, and, to Magnus and Alec’s surprise, he pulled out a revolver from his jacket and aimed at Magnus, his hand shaking, but they both knew that if he had the time to shoot, they could both die, right there and right then. 

 

Magnus wasn’t moving. He was facing Sebastian with a grin on his face. He could see the irony there, he had tried so hard to make Alec and himself leave that building alive. Well, every good plan has its flaws. 

 

Magnus laughed at himself before glancing at Sebastian, with all the pride and arrogance he could find deep down in himself at that very moment. He would erase the smirk on that brat’s face, and he would let Alec go back home, safe. After all, that was the promise he had made to Isabelle. 

 

Magnus remembered the very last words he had said to Isabelle before leaving his apartment, a few hours ago.

 

_ “I will get Alec back, even if I have to die, I’ll bring him back.”  _

 

Then, that was it. If he could keep that promise, he would gladly take that fucking bullet. Before Sebastian could pull the trigger, Alec moved so quickly he was now in front of Magnus, and the latter couldn’t help but yell at him.

 

“Alec, what the fuck are you doing? Move!” Magnus yelled at the young man, who was still standing in front of him. 

 

“I’m the one you want, so come on! Go ahead and shoot!” said Alec, stoic, in front of Sebastian. The man was still holding his ribs, as blood was flowing from his wound. He wouldn’t be able to stand for a long time. 

 

“As you wish,” Sebastian said with a smirk before he suddenly aimed at Alec, shooting without any hesitation, before collapsing on the floor, unconscious.  

 

The only thing he could do right now, was to jump in front of him, not that it would change anything. Alec would still hate him, and he couldn’t blame him, but at least he would have done something right in his life. He would have saved the only man he could have ever loved. 

 

He felt the bullet going right through him, and the blood flowing from his chest, smearing his shirt. He fell backward, leaning on the floor, while Alexander was there, next to him, screaming his name. He looked at him, maybe it was the last time. He couldn’t feel the pain anymore, but nothing was as painful as the panicked look on Alec’s face. 

 

Magnus knew he wouldn’t last long and it was useless to fight. He closed his eyes to chase away the tears that were coming to his eyes. 

 

“Magnus!” Alec screamed. “Magnus, open your eyes, pl- please. Please! Don’t you dare leaving me. I swear I’ll never forgive you for this. I’ll chase you in hell if I have to, but please. Don’t leave me alone. I need you.” Alec was shaking, and Magnus could feel his lover’s hands pressing on his wound to prevent the brisk hemorrhage. Magnus knew it was useless, and Alec couldn’t stay here any longer, he needed to leave.

 

“Ale- Alexander,” Magnus coughed, blood flowing on his stomach. “Don’t- You need to lea-”

 

“Shut up! I’m not leaving without you, Magnus! I’m not !” Alec was losing it. 

 

Magnus smiled. Alexander Lightwood was truly the man he had been waiting for all his life, and in the end, he wouldn’t be able to wake up next to that man every morning. He wouldn’t be able to hold him and whisper ‘I love you’ in his ear. He wouldn’t be able to spend the rest of his life with him. 

 

But in the end, maybe he prefered this. Maybe taking that bullet was the best thing to do, because it meant that Alexander was safe. It meant that Alexander was still alive, and even though he was and would be broken, he would heal. He would get better, and that was the only thing Magnus really wanted. 

 

He saw tears flowing on Alec’s cheeks, his breathing was shaking and he was still pressuring on the wound, but suddenly Magnus felt blood coming up his throat. He was having an internal hemorrhage. He coughed violently, letting the red liquid escaping his mouth. 

 

Alec began to panic as Magnus was wriggling under his hands.

 

“What have I done? What have I done?” Alec cried as he was trying to stop the blood. 

 

Magnus knew it was useless, and he could barely stay awake. He came up with the little bit of energy that he still had to cup Alec’s right cheek. Alec was cold but his tears were burning his face and Magnus’s heart clenched in his chest when Alec immediately put his hand on Magnus’s.

 

“Alexander, I- I’m sorry.” Magnus didn’t knew for what he was apologizing. If it was for coming too late for him, or even for betraying him and selling him to Sebastian like that. Or maybe he was only apologizing for leaving him. Magnus took a deep breath. He was ready.

 

“Goodbye, Alexander,” Magnus said as he was feeling his eyes closing, and his breathing slowing down. 

 

“No. No Mag- No, no no no!” Alec was screaming. Tears running on his cheeks, and blood tainting his hands. “Please. Please stay with me!” Alec whispered, as if he was afraid that yelling, like he wanted to, would make Magnus feel even worse.

 

Magnus just let the darkness surrounding him, and it was like the world around him was working slower. He could feel his body becoming weaker, his breathing slower. Closing his eyes was the worst thing he had ever done, because it meant he was giving up, that he was leaving Alec alone. 

 

But he had made the right choice, for the very first time in his life. He had saved him. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you yell at him on Twitter or in the comment, just know that it wasn't easy for me to write this chapter, I've cried several times and I didn't write this because I like to see you, or our poor babies suffer.  
> Anyway, this is the 3rd chapter, only 1 left. And I can only tell you this: Things will get better next chapter ! :-) 
> 
> Thanks for reading !


End file.
